MANCHESTER
Punters enjoying an afternoon pint were forced to run for cover after a taxi smashed into the front of a pub.
The driver, who was left with cuts and scrapes, said he had been trying to avoid another car when he ploughed into the front of the White Hart pub in Middleton in Greater Manchester this afternoon.
Pictures show the front of the car embedded in the front of the building, leaving behind a smashed window.
Taxi driver Arshad Hussain, 45, from Rochdale, told the Manchester Evening News he was forced to swerve into the pub when another driver failed to stop at a junction.
He said: "I tried to swerve and not hit her and ended up in the wall.
"I am a bit disorientated at the minute."
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/punters-forced-run-cover-after-6586305?
-----------------------------------------
ROSSENDALE
AN East Lancashire council has become involved in a taxi cab row after issuing licences to more than 1,800 drivers.
Rossendale Council has been accused of approving too many hackney carriage licences which has led to its drivers acting as minicabs across the North-West and into Yorkshire.
It has 1,864 drivers who have been issued with taxi licences and just two for private hire for a population of 65,000.
In contrast Blackburn with Darwen, Burnley, Hyndburn, Ribble Valley, Chorley and Pendle currently have jointly issued 336 taxi licences and 1,973 private hire permits for a combined population of 700,000.
This week the issue prompted a ‘War of the Roses’ with Bradford City Council’s deputy leader Val Slater accusing Rossendale borough of licensing hundreds of drivers who were only interested in crossing the Pennines to work as private hire vehicles in her city.
She claimed standards were lower in the Lancashire council’s area than in Yorkshire.
The leader of Rossendale borough Alyson Barnes and its taxi association boss David Lawrie have rejected her claims.
They accused Bradford and other Yorkshire and East Lancashire councils of operating an unlawful cap on black cab licences.
But Cllr Slater’s fears were echoed by Hyndburn council leader Miles Parkinson and Blackburn cab drivers’ leader Mohammed Younis.
Bradford has just 222 black cab licences and 2,700 private hire vehicle permits for its 500,000 residents.
Cllr Slater also claimed drivers turned down in Bradford were going to Rossendale.
She said she had not been able to convince Rossendale to tackle the problem despite repeated attempts.
“We have tried to talk to their leader about why they are setting these low standards,” she said.
“I would not get in a private hire that was licensed in Rossendale.”
Cllr Slater said Rossendale had lower standards for knowledge tests, English tests and criminal record checks and that cabs with its licenses are also immune from Bradford’s safety spot-checks.
Last month, an enforcement officer from Rossendale Council joined Bradford staff on a spot-checking exercise finding problems with all four of its licensed vehicles stopped.
Cllr Barnes said: “We are following the law regarding taxi licences.
“The government says there should be no arbitrary cap as operated by other councils and this needs sorting out.
“We reject allegations that our standards for driver or cab safety are lower but we are reviewing our policies.
“Two thirds of applications are refused.
“We may be issuing too many licences and are reviewing our procedures to include new maths and English tests.
“We are looking at introducing a test for drivers over whether they intend use their vehicles mainly in the borough.”
Mr Lawrie said: “The reason people come here is that other councils operate a cap on the number of hackney carriage licences, contrary to clear government policy.
“If they did not operate that cap, which in my view is not legal, drivers would not be coming to Rossendale for licences.
“Bradford and other councils need to look at their own licensing regime not blame Rossendale.”
A spokeswoman for Rossendale Council’s licensing department said the £783,000 a year revenue from taxi licensing was ring-fenced to cover the significant costs of the licensing service.
Hyndburn council leader Miles Parkinson said: “We set high standards for taxis.
“Unfortunately when a vehicle is licensed elsewhere we are not able to carry out the same rigorous checks.
“How Rossendale Council acts is a matter for them, although I do know that this approach has been criticised by a number of authorities around us.”
Mr Younis said: “We have problem in the borough with Rossendale taxis operating as private hire vehicles here.
“The council there issues too many hackney carriage licences and they operate as minicabs all over the North-West and the country.”
BOLTON DRIVERS STRIKE.
There were the dramatic scenes as angry taxi drivers stormed into council offices to protest against an increase in licensing charges.
Scores of protesters loudly chanted “we won’t pay” and cheered and clapped as they flooded into the One Stop Shop building in Bolton Town Hall.
The demonstration was the culmination of a morning of action which also saw hundreds of cars flood into the town centre. Major routes around the borough were disrupted by drivers, badly affecting people’s journeys into work.
It is believed that an emergency meeting has now been arranged between union representatives and council bosses — and drivers are threatening more action if they are not heard.
Yasir Amir, chairman of the Bolton Private Hire Association, said: "This is just the start. We are protesting against the council for the increases in licence fees.
"The major strike will be very soon, this is just a few hours of protest this morning, we are very happy with the turnout today but we have got bigger plans.
"If the council are prepared to sit down with us then we can stop this, but if they don't we will carry on."
The row stems from a decision ratified by Bolton Council’s Licensing Committee last week to raise the cost of a licence to run both private hire and hackney cabs in Bolton.
The changes came in response to a national review of licensing prices across the country, following a landmark ruling in Westminster which found that sex shops were being overcharged for licences.
The review — which has been independently audited — found that in order to correctly cover its costs, the licensing department must raise the cost of a first time licence for private hire and hackney drivers from £80 to £195 — a rise of 143 per cent.
For current drivers, the cost of renewal licences has gone up as well — from £41 to £82 (50 per cent) for hackney cabs and from £41 to £114 (178 per cent) for private hire drivers.These rises will, however, be staggered across three years, to limit the impact on drivers and will not reach the full new price until 2017/18.
The council has also pointed out that its new renewal fee of £204 is on the lower end in Greater Manchester, with only Salford and Manchester offering cheaper deals.
Cllr Martin Donaghy, Bolton Council’s licensing chairman, said the increase, although 'not ideal', was agreed by all parties on the committee as the fairest way to implement the results of the review.
He said: “The fact the increase will be phased in means the charge will actually only be going up by 52 pence per week and we have used £140,000 of one-off funding to allow for that phasing.
“We have looked at other boroughs and found that our plans are competitive and average and it is important to point out that for our new three-year licence fee includes everything needed to be on the road.”
This was not a view shared by the hundreds of protesting drivers.
Cabbie Mike Hammond said: “Enough is enough, it feels like they are changing the rules — we don’t mind them putting up the fees a bit, but 178 per cent is ridiculous.”
Yasif Khan, secretary of the Private Hire Association, added: “Our licence fee was £41 and will go to £114 — that is a 178 per cent rise, inflation is only three per cent at the moment.
“If they did this to the council tax there would be an uproar everywhere, they have to talk to us and come to their senses, we are not going to pay it.”
The major protest caused problems for thousands of commuters attempting to get into and around the borough and there was anger directed towards the striking drivers.
Ashley Unsworth was attempting to make her way into Bolton for work. She said: “This is really stupid and I don’t agree with it at all. It is stopping normal people from being able to come to work — I was really delayed by it.”
Bolton College student Francis Greenall, aged 27, was delayed by more than an hour on his bus route from Bury to Bolton.
He said: "It wasn’t great — my journey took 90 minutes, when it should only be 30 minutes.
“I am going to be late for my lectures now and will have to catch up on work.”
A spokesman for Bolton Council said: “We are disappointed by the strike as we have met regularly with the drivers’ associations and kept them informed about the changes.
Share article
“The new charges ensure we comply with statutory regulations and all money gathered through licence fees is invested directly back into the service. We are happy to meet the drivers’ representatives again to discuss their concerns.”
http://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/news/13804732.UPDATE__Taxi_protest_brings_Bolton_to_a_standstill/?ref=rss
TFL v UBER
Just received a comment from someone in the Court Today.
TfL were dreadful, they defended the position that the phone is not a meter better than Uber did.
I thought they were going to remain neutral but they clearly sided with Uber.
---------------------------------------------
-
TFL V UBER. Judge reserves Judgement.
Uber warns the plans will spell the end to the company its users 'know and love today'
The system used in London by app-based taxi service Uber has been called into question in the High Court.
Transport for London (TfL) and Uber are seeking guidance on whether the company's smartphones are considered meters, which are outlawed for private hire vehicles.
The phones use GPS and external servers to calculate the cost of a journey.
A ruling is to be delivered later, but Uber said the outcome would not affect its ability to operate in London.
Originally scheduled to last two days, the case finished early, on Monday, with a judgement reserved until a later date.
The app-based company allows users to order cars via their smartphones, which often arrive within minutes and can cost a fraction of the price of a black cab.
It operates in Birmingham, Manchester, Merseyside, Newcastle, Leeds, Bristol and Sheffield in the UK, and in 60 countries across the world.
London Mayor Boris Johnson said it would be "nuts" to ban the technology behind the app and called for black cabs and private hire companies to work together and "find a balance" for the benefit of the capital.
TfL's barrister Martin Chamberlain said the point of law Mr Justice Ouseley at the High Court must decide was "narrow but difficult".
He said the organisation had not considered the smartphone app unlawful from the outset, but that TfL needed clarification from the court as the point was "arguable".
Mr Chamberlain added: "TfL has formed a view. If the court takes a different view TfL intends to ensure the law as declared by this court is properly enforced."
A spokesman for Uber said: "We are looking forward to getting binding clarity on this issue in the High Court."
Uber London Ltd, the Licensed Taxi Drivers' Association (LTDA) and Licensed Private Hire Car Association (LPHCA) will give their responses in the hearing.
The LTDA is asking the judge to rule that using a smartphone is unlawful as it said along with apps they operate as taximeters and it is not necessary for them to be "physically" attached to a vehicle to break the law.
LPHCA supports the LTDA's position, saying the app "is an attempt to circumvent the statutory prohibition on the use of a taximeter".
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-34445398
A protest by black cab drivers has again caused gridlock in London as cabbies take to the streets in their long-running battle with Transport for London over the way private hire vehicles, including Uber, are regulated.
The United Cabbies Group (UCG) has been holding weekly protests that have so far caused traffic chaos at Bank junction and Fleet Street, but today’s action is focussed on TfL’s headquarters at Windsor House on Victoria Street.
It comes as the High Court considers whether or not the Uber app functions as a Taximeter and breaks TfL regulations that say only licensed taxis can use them. Uber cars are licensed as Private Hire Vehicles (PHV), also known as minicabs.
Today Mayor of London Boris Johnson, who clashed with cabbies at Mayor’s Question Time, said in his Telegraph column: “At present that law is being systematically broken – or at least circumvented – by the use of the Uber app.” The Metropolitan Police have closed roads and imposed conditions on the protest, with Commander BJ Harrington, Gold for the policing of the event said, “When an organiser of an event comes to us, we need to balance their rights with the impact their event will have on the local community. “Victoria Street and the surrounding area is a busy traffic route and we believe if the proposed procession went ahead without conditions it would result in serious disruption.”
http://www.london24.com/news/transport/taxi_protest_causes_gridlock_in_westminster_1_4259516
------------------------------------------------------------------------
14 out of 24 taxis stopped in Huddersfield on Friday night had defects
Five were taken off the road immediately and a further nine were given suspension notices with brakes and tyres a big problem
A spot check by Kirklees Council officers saw five out of 24 licensed taxis hauled off the road after dangerous defects were found.
Licensing officer Andrew Prescott said a further nine drivers were handed suspension notices giving them a brief time in which to remedy significant defects.
The other 10 vehicles were given the all clear.
Mr Prescott said: “Well over 50 per cent of the vehicles we examined needed to have some kind of work carried out.
“It was routine maintenance on brakes and tyres. I think that is a disappointing figure. It’s a worry that so many did not pass the test.”
There are around 2,000 licensed vehicles in Kirklees.
The spot checks were carried out on Friday on the ring road close to the multi-storey car park at Queensgate between 6pm and 10pm.
A further four motorists were told they could not drive their vehicles including one man who only had a provisional licence.
Another eight vehicles were given rectification sheets requiring their owners to carry out remedial work. Three more were dealt with by way of traffic offence reports.
One of those called in for a check was Ben Phillips, 21, who runs Banney Royd Gardening Services with his brother Marc Shaw. Their vehicle was given the all clear.
Mr Phillips said: “I think these spot checks are a good thing. I have only been driving a couple of weeks and we need our vehicle for our work so it’s important to keep it well-maintained.”
Amjad Naddem, 44, a self-employed taxi driver who has been working for nearly 12 years, said: “I think it’s a good thing. If vehicles are not roadworthy then they should not be on the road. The public need to have confidence in our vehicles.”
http://www.examiner.co.uk/news/west-yorkshire-news/14-out-24-taxis-stopped-10197017
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
LEEDS
An investigation has been launched after taxi customer Suzanne Giblett claimed she was assaulted by her driver in a row over money.
Amber Cars has confirmed it has suspended a driver and alerted Leeds City Council’s licensing department while it investigates the 27-year-old’s claims, which have so far been shared 9,000 times in a post on Facebook.
Suzanne said that, after using Amber’s phone app to pay through her card for a journey from Burley to Leeds city centre on Friday night, she got out of the car and walked off before being “grabbed” by the taxi driver who said the payment had not gone through.
She told the YEP: “He grabbed my bag and tried to drag me down the stairs and said ‘You’re not going anywhere’. I was panicking and crying. Three people stopped to help. He was just shouting in my face and pointing at me.”
She said she’s since had an email receipt but is double-checking whether the money went though, but added: “That’s not the way to deal with it.”
Amber Cars said an investigation is ongoing into the incident. A statement on the company’s Facebook site added: “Customer and public safety is paramount to Amber Cars, hence the introduction of text back, ringback and the vehicle registration number being sent. You can also track your vehicle when booked via the app. This means the customer always knows whose car they are getting in, and that they don’t have to wait outside alone until they know the car is there. We transport over 200,000 passengers every week safely.”
A Leeds City Council spokesperson said: “We have been made aware of this particular complaint, and are currently undertaking an investigation to assess if any action needs to be undertaken.”
http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/news/latest-news/top-stories/investigation-launched-into-leeds-taxi-row-1-7497532
----------------------------------------
LANCASTER
An 18-year-old woman suffered serious head injuries after being hit by a taxi in Lancaster on Saturday night, October 3.
Police are appealing for witnesses following the incident which they say occured in Parliament Street at around 11.30pm.
But witnesses, and a witness incident appeal poster, flag up the location as Cable Street, between Sainsburys and The Bobbin pub.
The woman was taken to the Royal Preston Hospital where she remains in a serious condition.
The road was closed for two and a half hours to facilitate an investigation.
Anyone with information should contact police on 101 quoting log 1826 of October 3.
http://www.lancasterguardian.co.uk/news/woman-hit-by-taxi-in-lancaster-in-serious-condition-1-7497192
COURT 19
Before MR JUSTICE OUSELEY
Tuesday 6 October, 2015
At half past 10
FOR HEARING
PART HEARD
CO/1449/2015 Transport For London v Uber London Limited.
-----------------------------------------
London is the front line of a global taxi war right now, with local drivers desperately trying to stop the rise of Uber.
Black cab drivers and minicab services hate Uber, which undercuts them on price and they claim the ride-hailing app is given favourable treatment by London's transport regulator, Transport for London (TfL).
Trade body the London Private Hire Car Association (LPHCA) has been putting pressure on TfL to crackdown on Uber and Business Insider has seen documents that show the LPHCA has drafted in heavyweight, "Magic Circle" law firm Clifford Chance to present a legal case to get the taxi app banned in London.
Copies of evidence submitted to the Greater London Authority's Transport Committee by private hire car operator Addison Lee have been passed to Business Insider. The submission, which is part of an ongoing consultation on taxi regulation in London, includes evidence submitted seperately to TfL by the LPHCA in June.
In it the LPHCA, which represents 15,000 private hire and minicab drivers in the capital, and Clifford Chance call for TfL to hit Uber with an immediate ban until big changes are made that could cripple its business.
"We’re not surprised by the points raised in the LPHCA submission," Uber said when reached for comment. "These accusations are simply repetitions of previous complaints, all of which have been addressed numerous times."
Here's a summary of the big five arguments the LPHCA makes against Uber.
1. Uber's insurance is not up to scratch
Uber requires individual drivers to ensure their cars themselves, rather than hold a fleet-wide insurance policy as is the norm in London. The taxi industry argues that this means Uber is putting public safety at risk, as it can't guarantee all its drivers are insured.
The LPHCA uses a Schrodinger's Cat-style argument to say that this is inadequate: because Uber only checks documents when driver signs up, LPHCA claims Uber can't prove at all times that its drivers are insured. They could have cancelled their policy since signing up. Though there is no evidence that this is the case.
The industry also argues that because TfL allows Uber to operate without fleet-wide insurance, Uber gets an unfair price advantage as these policies are costly.
And by passing the saving on to the customer but still requiring the driver to buy a policy, the taxi industry argues drivers are being incentivised to cut corners on insurance to save money.
Here's Clifford Chance, on behalf of the LPHCA: "Uber's operating model facilitates and encourages increasing numbers of uninsured drivers onto the streets of London by allowing drivers to cancel their policies after registration with Uber."
The taxi body argues that the checks on these documents are flawed in the first place, pointing to a report in The Guardian on the ease of tricking the system with faked documents.
2. Uber doesn't pay tax like it should
Uber processes its UK fares through Dutch subsidiary Uber BV, meaning it gets around charging customers UK VAT at point of sale.
By processing revenue through Uber BV, the company also pays a lower rate of corporation tax. Taxi companies say this tax set-up gives Uber another unfair advantage. This issue has already been referred to the UK taxman, HMRC, which is probing Uber's tax set-up.
Business Insider has highlighted Uber's tax set-up before. A spokesperson for Uber told Business Insider at the time: "Uber complies with all applicable tax laws, and pays taxes in all the jurisdictions it operates in, including the UK."
3. It's unsupervised and unsafe
The LPHCA tells the Transport Committee in its submission (emphasis ours):
As a direct consequence of the flaws in Uber's operating model Uber drivers loiter, ply for hire, park illegally and create a public nuisance in areas of high demand such as at airports and stations, undermining London’s profile as one of the safest taxi markets in the world.
Clifford Chance concludes in its report: "These are not simply technical infractions. As Uber expands the risks associated with its operating model are becoming increasingly clear.
"Uber currently has approximately 17,000 registered drivers and has stated an intention to recruit 42,000 drivers by March 2016.
"However, when confronted by issues in relation to its drivers Uber disclaims responsibility for them on the basis that they are self-employed. In practice, the quality of regulation, oversight, and therefore the safety of the London private hire market is disintegrating rapidly as Uber expands."
It's war.
http://goo.gl/nd4Bf6
