Black cab drivers have blocked Tottenham Court Road in protest over plans to restrict daytime access to the route.
Car, lorries and taxis are to be banned from the landmark central London street as part of a £35 million project.
On Monday, taxis parked along the road as drivers began a week-long demonstration called by the Independent Taxi Alliance (ITA) against the proposals.
Black cabs are set to protest from 4pm every day this week.
It came as minicab drivers staged a protest on Blackfriars Road against changes to the congestion charge in London.
Only buses and bikes will be allowed on Tottenham Court Road between 8am and 7pm, Monday to Saturday, when it is converted from one-way to two-way traffic from March.
Camden Council says the changes will improve road safety and air quality and lead to a change in fortunes for an “unloved” street. Drivers who breach the restrictions face a £130 fine.
But the taxi industry fears the move will worsen congestion and increase pollution in surrounding areas.
It has also argued that taxis and buses should be afforded the same access in the capital as they are both "publicly hired".
In a statement today, the ITA called on the council to lift the restriction on cabs.
It said "the local authority could reasonably conclude that taxi access to bus lanes is liable to enhance the efficiency of the London road transport system".
The United Cabbies group tweeted: "Both Taxis and Buses are publicly hired and as the posters say Where buses go, We go."
Meanwhile minicab drivers were staging another protest against a congestion charge they claim will cut their take-home pay by up to 25 per cent.
Minicabs blocked Blackfriars Road in central London on Monday (Unite the Resistance)
The demonstration in central London on Monday has been called by the Independent Workers Union of Great Britain (IWGB), which claims the charge is a "tax on the poor" and will do little to reduce congestion in the capital.
The daily charge of £11.50 will have to be paid by private hire drivers, such as those working for Uber, from April.
Roads outside Transport for London's (TfL) offices were blocked by a protest earlier this month, which the union has vowed to repeat every Monday.
Drivers were protesting changes to the congestion charge (Unite the Resistance)
Spokesman Yaseen Aslam said: "We desperately need effective solutions to congestion and air pollution, but this policy is nothing of the sort.
"All the Mayor's plans will do is drive minicab drivers further into poverty, leaving them unable to feed their families and struggling to put a roof over their heads.
"Hundreds of drivers are coming out today to stand united against this unjust tax on the poor and we will keep on coming back until we are heard."
Alex Williams, TfL's director of city planning, said: "Bold action is required to tackle London's public health crisis. More than 9,000 deaths are linked to air quality every year.
"The private hire trade, along with all road users, have a central role in reducing the filthy fumes circulating in our city.
"The changes to the congestion charge will contribute to fewer vehicles driving where pollution is most concentrated while ensuring the cleanest minicabs, or those that are wheelchair accessible, continue to enter the zone without paying a charge.
"The changes to the congestion charge and the introduction of the Ultra Low Emission Zone in April will significantly benefit the health of all Londoners, including drivers."
https://bit.ly/2T1d092
Barcelona taxi drivers have blockaded areas of the city over the weekend as they take strike action into a fourth day on Monday over what they consider to be insufficient government plans to rein in competition from ride-hailing companies such as Uber.
The taxi drivers rejected proposals tabled by Catalonia’s regional government under which ride-sharing drivers would have to wait 15 minutes before attending to a passenger request.
As taxi drivers blocked off Barcelona’s central Gran Via avenue on Friday, tension flared with one ride-sharing driver requiring medical assistance for an anxiety attack after a group of striking taxi drivers or sympathisers smashed his car’s windows and mirrors while he was in the vehicle.
Ride-sharing drivers parked their cars along another of Barcelona’s main thoroughfares, Diagonal, in protest at what their representatives described as taxi drivers’ “mafia-like behaviour”.
Formula 1 driver Carlos Sainz tweeted a video allegedly showing the aftermath of an attack against an Uber vehicle that his sister was using in Madrid, its interior showered with shattered glass after a stone was thrown at the car.
Madrid’s taxi drivers plan to strike on Monday as they also seek stricter controls on how and when ride-hailing companies can operate.
Under the plan unveiled by Catalonia’s infrastructure minister, Damià Calvet, ride-sharing drivers would be obliged to return to their designated base after each service and customers would not be able to track the car they hire via GPS on the company app.
But taxi drivers voted to reject the plan, mainly on the basis that the 15-minute delay between the contracting of a private service and the start of the ride would be too short to make any noticeable difference.
Taxi driver unions have asked for a built-in delay of 12 or even 24 hours, effectively meaning that traditional taxis would have a monopoly on immediate services.
On Sunday Mr Calvet unsuccessfully offered to negotiate a new minimum waiting time for ride-hailing services if the taxi drivers agreed to call off their strike.
Tito Álvarez, leader of the Élite Taxi association, said Barcelona’s city taxi drivers wanted to end the conflict, adding that violence was unacceptable and that he would step aside if any more attacks against ride-sharing drivers took place.
“We want the politicians to hold a crisis cabinet meeting. Otherwise they will find us here on the street because we are not going to give up.”
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/01/20/barcelona-taxi-drivers-blockade-roads-uber-protest/
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Glasgow Taxis and Defib Machines have pledged to roll out more of the devices if the initiative is successful.
Scotland’s biggest taxi firm has installed defibrillators in 15 of their Glasgow cabs and trained drivers how to help people having heart attacks.
Drivers for Glasgow Taxis will be able to use the devices to assist with any incidents of cardiac arrest in or near to their cabs as they travel around the city.
Working in partnership with Defib Machines, the company said it will roll out more defibrillators to further vehicles if the initiative is successful.
It’s a modest outlay which we have committed to over a three-year period and if even one machine helps one person in that time, it will have been worth it many times over
https://bit.ly/2MkMHYS
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BRISTOL
A free drop off and taxi waiting area is to be introduced at Bristol Airport following calls for action from residents.
Locals had raised concerns about the volume of cars waiting in nearby roads, lanes and lay-bys in order to avoid paying for parking.
In response, an on-site waiting area for taxis will be opened alongside a drop off zone for private vehicles.
The latter will replace the Express Drop Off, which currently charges £1 for 10 minutes.
The move is part of the airport's plans to increased the number of passengers that pass through the Lulsgate Bottom site annually.
The figure is currently capped at 10 million, although North Somerset Council is consulting a planning application for facilities required to handle 12 million passengers a year by the mid-2020s.
Simon Earles, Planning & Sustainability Director at Bristol Airport, said: “We have listened to feedback from our neighbours and this commitment to introduce an on-site waiting area for taxis and a free drop-off facility for private vehicles shows we are taking the issues they have raised seriously.
“By accommodating waiting taxis on site and providing a free alternative for private vehicles dropping off passengers, we aim to reduce the impact of growth on local villages.
"Work is now underway to find the right location for the proposed facility and set appropriate time limits in consultation with private hire operators.”
The council's consultation on the planning application to increase capacity of the airport closes on 26 January.
https://bit.ly/2RU7iZ8
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WARRINGTON
A TAXI driver acquitted of sexual assault is battling to get his licence back after his life was ‘turned upside down’.
The driver, who wishes to remain anonymous, was found not guilty of sexual assault on a female at Chester Crown Court in November.
Since June 2016, cabbies across the town have been required to have cameras fitted in their vehicles to improve the safety of passengers and drivers.
Vehicle CCTV footage is kept for 14 days before being automatically overwritten.
The alleged sexual assault incident took place in 2017 but police, based in another local authority, failed to analyse the CCTV footage as they were unaware taxis in Warrington were fitted with cameras.
The driver, who had his licence revoked by Warrington Borough Council in March last year, has criticised the authority for not reinstating it following the acquittal.
He says: “I have not been working for more than nine months now and I have got a family to support.
“I have lost my livelihood. It has turned my life upside down.
“I want to get back to working as soon as possible.
“I have had a lot of support from the community and, in particular, our taxi trade representative through this ordeal – they have provided crucial emotional and financial support.”
Police insist there was enough evidence to charge the driver but have admitted that they have ‘learned’ from the incident.
Det Sgt John Lyons said: “A full case file of evidence was presented to the Crown Prosecution Service, which determined there was sufficient evidence to charge the suspect with sexual assault even with the missed CCTV opportunity.
“The investigating officers were based in another local authority and were unaware that taxis in Warrington are all fitted with CCTV cameras.
“By the time they became aware of its existence, the footage had been deleted.
“However, we have learned from this case and will ensure that officers across the county will be made aware that Warrington taxis are fitted with cameras, which could assist future investigations.”
DS Lyons, who says all reports of sexual assault are treated extremely seriously, has reassured victims that they should feel confident of receiving the help and support needed from specialist officers and support agencies.
He added: “Rape and sexual assault are two of the most serious of all criminal offences, which can inflict lasting trauma on victims and have a devastating effect on their families.
“All victims will be treated with the dignity and respect they deserve and any allegations will be thoroughly investigated, with the wishes and the needs of the victim as our main priority.”
Afthkar Quayyum, a spokesman for Warrington’s hackney carriage and private hire drivers, labelled the council’s decision to revoke the driver’s licence as ‘premature’.
Furthermore, he issued a plea to the police force.
He said: “The council must adopt a flexible approach to this matter to ensure an innocent man can get his licence back.
“This can’t happen again. This is a dangerous precedent to have.
“The council have to realise what they have actually done.
“From the police, I want assurances that the communication around CCTV in Warrington taxis is clear within Cheshire Police and neighbouring police forces.
“It is really important that we get assurances from the council and police.”
The council says it has made arrangements for its licensing sub-committee to determine the licence application at the ‘earliest opportunity’.
A spokesman said: “We are unable to comment on specific ongoing cases but we are mindful of justice and the right of individuals to earn a living.
“We also acknowledge the important contribution of the taxi trade across the borough.
“As the licensing authority, we have a duty to protect the public, to detect crime and to keep children and vulnerable adults safe.
“We are determined to work closely with our partners and the trade to achieve this. CCTV continues to form part of this policy.”
The spokesman also insists the authority will continue to work with the trade to ensure procedures are of a high standard to protect drivers and the public.
He added: “Any decision to revoke a licence is made having regard to the evidence available at the time.
“Any person can apply for a licence but it is not possible to simply reinstate a licence that has been formally revoked.
“We are governed by a statutory process and must act in a fair and consistent way to all applicants, in accordance with our policy.”
https://bit.ly/2Dij8nM
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DERBY
Taxi drivers have been given more time to introduce clean air proposals which could see them have to fork out thousands of pounds.
Up to 300 drivers from across the city held a mass protest over the proposals on Thursday night.
They stood holding placards and banners urging the council to rethink how it plans to cut pollution and give them more time to "go green".
The rally took place just before member of the authority's licencing committee met to discuss some of the biggest changes to Derby's taxis since "horse-drawn carriages".
But after seeing the protest, members of the committee agreed to lengthen the consultation process on the proposals.
Committee chairman Mick Barker said more time would be given for the issue to be debated, with nothing concrete decided until at least June.
https://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/news/derby-news/mass-protest-derby-taxi-drivers-2441204
FORD CHARIOTS ABANDON LONDON
Ford is shutting down its e-shuttle service as the US motoring giant begins a shake-up of its business in an attempt to cut costs.
Chariot, a commuter shuttle startup acquired by Ford in 2016 for $65m (£51m), has been available in London as well as 10 US cities, but will see UK operations cease on January 25. All operations of the service will come to an end in March.
The San Francisco-headquartered company, which was founded in 2014, emerged as a player in the increasingly expanding tech-transport sector led by Uber.
It offers a microtransit service through an app that allows users to book a seat in one of Chariot’s turquoise and white transit vans for a cheaper trip during rush hour. The company also operates an enterprise service tailored to business clients.
Chariot has carried out just over 3 million rides since its inception but has said that going forward its service “was not sustainable”.
https://bit.ly/2AQRpsV
LONDON
A mother has told of the terrifying moment an out-of-control taxi smashed into her home.
Suzan Hassan, 36, was in the ground-floor kitchen of her two-storey home in south-east London when the car careered into the building as she washed her dishes.
The terraced house in Bellingham was left “uninhabitable” three days before Christmas.
Ms Hassan said she was forced to move out on December 22 after the minicab hit her home shortly before 8pm.
“I thought it was an earthquake,” she said. “Suddenly this entire car was in my kitchen. I was in total shock. Luckily the kids weren’t home.
“There were cracks going up the ceiling. I was so scared that I jumped on to the work surface and held up the kitchen ceiling.
“My neighbours rushed out and were yelling ‘get out, get out’. I hurt my back when I was thrown into the fridge.” She said the driver was breathalysed by police at the scene and found to be sober. It is believed he accidentally lost control of the vehicle.
Ms Hassan — a personal trainer and carer — stayed with relatives before being given a room in a nearby hotel by housing association London and Quadrant, which owns the home.
But the single mother said conditions in the hotel were “terrifying” because of alleged antisocial behaviour there.
She said she was so scared she took her 11-year-old daughter Yasemin to sleep in the car with her while her son Tyla, six, stayed at his grandmother’s house in Sidcup. The family have now been placed in a three-bedroom property while a new permanent home is found for them.
https://bit.ly/2stRLAW
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WAKEFIELD
Taxi drivers who are accused of a serious offence will have their licence immediately revoked, under new rules.
Wakefield Council had previously suspended drivers' permits if an allegation was made against them, but the High Court has now ruled that the policy, which was also enforced by other authorities, is unlawful.
The verdict came in a landmark recent case against Cardiff City Council.
While drivers who are later cleared of wrongdoing have to apply to get their licence back, they will not be charged for doing so.
The ruling also applies to cabbies who have lost their licence for medical reasons, if they can provide a doctor's note which declares them fit to driver again.
Speaking at a council licensing committee meeting on Tuesday, licensing officer Kevin Straw said: "For a long time if it came to the council's attention that a driver had been subject to an allegation for, say violence or indecency, the licence would not be revoked with immediate effect. It would be suspended.
"Once the matter came to court and was dealt with then the council would consider the position again.
"Now that that's been ruled unlawful, we can't suspend a licence now.
"If there's a serious allegation, the only way forward we can go to protect public safety is to revoke it with immediate effect."
Mr Straw said that the council had been confronted with two recent cases where the practice would be used, including one where a driver was wrongly accused.
He added: "It may be that revoking the licence is not a sustainable position if new information later comes to light.
"There might be a malicious complaint or there's a medical condition that clears up - those are two examples we've had recently that I can think of.
"If that's the case it doesn't seem fair to make them go through the application process again.
"That said, I don't think it's going to be a process that will be used very often."
https://bit.ly/2TWn4Qr
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(Reuters) - The London Electric Vehicle Company (LEVC), which makes the city’s popular black taxis, named former Audi executive Joerg Hofmann as its new chief executive, succeeding Chris Gubbey who will step down next month.
Hofmann, 51, who previously worked with General Motors (GM.N) and Audi AG (NSUG.DE) for 17 years, will take over the role on Feb. 4.
LEVC, formerly known as the London Taxi Company, was bought out of bankruptcy by Chinese automaker Geely Automobile Holdings (0175.HK) in 2013.
https://reut.rs/2W1v3gW
LIVERPOOL
More than 300 taxi and private hire drivers in Liverpool have been hit in a council and police safety crackdown over the past year.
Some of the most serious rule breaking included 18 instances of 'cherry picking' - when black cab drivers choose which fares they pick up rather than taking the nearest passengers.
It came as the council revealed the numbers of drivers who have been slapped with fines, prosecutions or other enforcement action throughout 2018 on the city's roads.
Thirty-three private hire drivers were caught plying for hire - something they are banned from doing as they are legally only allowed to take pre-booked journeys.
The council said most of these private hire drivers were prosecuted.
Cabinet member for transport, councillor James Noakes said the authority wanted to make transport in Liverpool as safe as possible.
He said: “People who live or work in Liverpool or come to the city for entertainment should have the reassurance that they can rely on taxi and private hire trade to provide a fair service that abides by the rules.
“In Liverpool, the vast majority of our taxi and private hire drivers are responsible, play by the rules and share our concerns for public safety.
“As these figures show, where we find evidence of wrongdoing we will not hesitate in taking action.
https://bit.ly/2RS5wrt
[-----------------------------
BURY ST EDMUNDS
A taxi driver caught more than four times the legal alcohol limit with an ice-cold drink in his car while doing the school run has been jailed for more than four years.
Promise Moyo, 46, was caught with the drink nestled in the centre console of his car when stopped by police after worried members of the public reported a Hyundai i40 car being driven erratically in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk.
Moyo appeared before Ipswich Magistrates' Court where he pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol.
He was sentenced to 18 weeks' prison and banned from driving for three years.
The court heard after his arrest Moyo taken to Bury St Edmunds Police Investigation Centre where he provided a further breath test four times the legal limit of 35mg.
Inspector Chris Hinitt, of the Serious Collision Investigation Team, said: 'I am completely shocked by the level of alcohol that Promise Moyo, had in his system.
The court heard after his arrest Moyo taken to Bury St Edmunds Police Investigation Centre where he provided a further breath test four times the legal limit of 35mg
+3
The court heard after his arrest Moyo taken to Bury St Edmunds Police Investigation Centre where he provided a further breath test four times the legal limit of 35mg
'To get behind the wheel of a car when more than four-times the legal alcohol limit is absolutely astounding. Driving a licensed taxi cab in such circumstances clearly and directly imperils the lives of others.
'We in the Serious Collision Investigation Team - along with many other police colleagues - have seen too often the devastation caused by drink-driving and in my opinion it is completely reckless for anyone to take that risk.'
Prosecutor Wayne Ablett said Moyo’s taxi was swerving across the road before being stopped and found to contain an iced alcoholic drink within the driver’s reach.
A police report suggested the Mayo had been on the school run, but the cabbie disputed the account, insisting he travelled to Asda for groceries after drinking heavily at home in Suffolk.
https://dailym.ai/2SWVym1
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SOUTH WALES
The mother of a severely autistic boy claims her son was dropped off more than a mile away from their house because he couldn't do up his seatbelt in a taxi on the way to school.
Janette Williams, 45, from Ferndale in the Rhondda, says the incident happened when her son Owen was on his way to Maesgwyn Special School in Aberdare on Monday morning.
Owen, who suffers from a number of sensory issues, such as sensitive hearing and problems with touch, was allegedly dropped off in Maerdy - more than a mile away from his home.
The 14-year-old then had to cross five junctions to make his way home alone, despite having no danger awareness or road safety experience.
Ms Williams says she was left "livid" and "shaken up and shocked" by the ordeal, while Owen was left "rocking and flapping" in fright.
Where Owen was dropped off and where he walked to - alone
The owner of the taxi firm denies that Owen was asked to leave the taxi, and says the youngster got out on his own accord and wouldn't get back in.
He said he was unaware that Owen was not outside his own address, and described the incident as a "miscommunication" and said it should never have happened.
He's also apologised to the family.
https://bit.ly/2RNfyKC
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Taxi drivers in Woking are to undergo a trial to see how much money they would save if they switched to an electric vehicle instead.
The move would also be aimed at cutting down on air pollution in the area.
Around 15 per cent of Hackney Vehicles licensed with Woking Borough Council, around 25 cabbies, will be asked to take part in the experiment.
It will assess how many trips they could make with an e-taxi, where the most appropriate places for charging points would be and create business cases for the drivers to show how much money and fuel they will save.
Woking has engaged a company called Electric Blue to carry out the three-month trial to collect the data and evidence to then be assessed by officers from the council’s licensing department.
Called the Evolve Taxi Evaluation Project, it will involve a small device being fitted to the group of Hackney Vehicles taking part.
Information collected will include trip time and date, length plus locations as well as driver efficiency by recording harsh braking, accelerating and cornering.
The data will not identify the driver but will help map out where the council could put charging points based on areas mostly covered by the taxis.
A report entitled Electric Taxi Viability Project will be presented to members of the council’s licensing committee on Tuesday, January 22.
The report says:
“Woking Borough Council wishes to move towards a more professional looking and environmentally friendly fleet of Hackney Vehicles.
"The Evolve evaluation programme delivered by Electric Blue will provide the information needed in order for the council to make an informed step towards this goal.”
A start date for the trial has not yet been set.
High pollution levels have been identified in Woking with two AQMAs (Air Quality Management Areas) being applied in the borough.
One at the junction at the top of Anchor Hill, declared in 2014, and the second for a section in Guildford Road declared in 2017.
https://bit.ly/2McJQB4
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BURTON
Seventy taxi drivers have today staged a protest in Burton in a row over new safety measures, claiming they have not been given enough time to implement changes.
Mohammed Ikhlaq, a spokesman for the Burton Taxi Association, said the drivers protested outside the East Staffordshire Borough Council licensing offices in Millers Lane to make their voices heard about the introduction of the new Individual Vehicle Appraisal (IVA) for hackney carriages which carry disabled passengers.
After the protest when cabbies stood in unity outside the council offices, the authority's chief executive Andy O'Brien met with them outside the building and spoke to drivers.
The authority has now agreed to extend the January 21 deadline on an individual basis.
Cabbies across Burton had been warned in letters from the borough council sent out in November that they would need to get the new appraisal, which is carried out by the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) and costs £260.
It can then cost them between £2,000 and £5,000 to make any modifications that are needed to make sure they can continue to work. Modifications include installing specialist seats for disabled passengers.
Drivers had been given a deadline of January 21 to have made the changes, but Mr Ikhlaq said cabbies staged the protest as they felt this was too shorter time.
He said: "Today we have discussed with the council the need for an extension for this IVA as the date of January 21 is not possible when they only started sending letters out in November.
"With the holidays and weekend it has only left us about 10 days to get it sorted.
"This has left a bitter taste in our mouths."
Mr Ikhlaq said that for the last 10 to 15 years drivers had worked with a garage in Burton which has made any modifications that are needed to vehicles.
These have all been carried out to the council's specifications, he said. The council will then check the vehicles were up to the correct standard before they are allowed out on the roads.
https://bit.ly/2QRrKFv
GLASGOW
A FEMALE taxi driver was punched, threatened and robbed in a 'terrifying' attack.
The 34-year-old was in her blue private hire vehicle on Burnside Avenue in Bellshill when two men approached the vehicle.
They then punched, threatened her and made off with a three figure sum of money.
The woman did not require medical treatment following the assault, yesterday at around 4.24pm.
The first man is described as white, of slim build and was under 6ft tall.
He was wearing a red and blue bubble jacket with a hood pulled tight round his face and black tracksuit bottoms.
The second man was white, of slim build, clean shaven, was shorter than the first man and was wearing a grey tracksuit with a silver logo on the breast, white trainers and a navy blue bobble hat.
Detective Sergeant Gary Crossan, of Wishaw CID, said: “This was a terrifying incident for a woman who was only going about her work.
"Our officers will do everything they can to trace the two men responsible.
“We are appealing for anyone who was in the area last night who may have information that can help us.
"Do you remember seeing these two men?
“You may also have dash-cam footage if you were driving in Bellshill yesterday, please check back as this could hold vital information.”
Anyone with any information regarding this incident should contact Police via 101, quoting incident number 2551 of Sunday, January 13 2019.
Alternatively you can contact CRIMESTOPPERS on 0800 555 11 where information can be given in confidence.
https://bit.ly/2TPR9RP
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BURY ST EDMUNDS
A taxi driver was stopped on a school run by police in Bury St Edmunds today - allegedly four times over the drink drive limit with an drink on the centre console.
The Norfolk and Suffolk Roads and Armed Policing Team posted on social media today that a taxi had been stopped after being spotted driving dangerously in the west Suffolk town.
They say he has been arrested on suspicion of drink driving.
The tweet reads: “Taxi stopped on the way to a school run after being seen driving dangerously in #burystedmunds today, alcohol found in centre console.
“Arrested for #drinkdriving & has provided evidential reading of 158ugs in custody, legal limit is 35ugs.
“#fatal4 @BuryStEdsPolice #1320 #1787”
https://www.eadt.co.uk/news/suffolk-police-arrest-taxi-driver-allegedly-found-with-drink-on-centre-console-1-5851508
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BELFAST
A customer who kicked a taxi driver out of his car and said “it’s my turn to drive” has been jailed for nine months.
Belfast Magistrates’ Court heard Michael Mallon, 27, carried out the assault after refusing to pay a fare. Imposing the maximum available sentence, District Judge Mark Hamill said: “This man soars over the custody threshold.”
Mallon, of Summerhill Drive in the Twinbrook area of West Belfast, was convicted of common assault, disorderly behaviour, criminal damage, and obtaining services dishonestly. Prosecutors said he got into the taxi last August and asked to be taken to a location in the city.
He then changed his mind and requested a different destination, but became abusive when told the cost of the fare. Amid concerns his passenger was not going to pay, the driver headed towards a police station in the Stewartstown Road area.
The court was told that after the car came to a stop Mallon used his foot to push him out. “He said ‘It’s my turn to drive’,” a Crown lawyer added.
Police were alerted and removed Mallon from the vehicle while he swore incoherently. He was searched and a small bag of herbal cannabis seized from him. Defence barrister Luke Curran stressed there was no allegation of Mallon attempting to take the taxi.
Counsel said his client accepted there had been a “heated” exchange with the driver, and that he had thought it would be more secure for him to remain in the car. But Mr Hamill emphasised the seriousness of assaulting anyone providing a public service.
“This man was trying to do an honest day’s work and (Mallon) declined to pay a fare, climbed in the front and kicks him out of his own taxi,” the judge pointed out.
Imposing six months imprisonment, he ordered the defendant to serve a further three months of a previously suspended term. Mallon was also fined £75 for the possession of cannabis.
https://www.belfastlive.co.uk/news/belfast-news/belfast-taxi-driver-kicked-out-15676809
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BRADFORD
Every time taxis and their drivers are inspected in roadside checks this disgraceful state of affairs is repeated, instead of a slap on the wrist the cars and drivers should be banned for a number of years, permanently for the most serious offences. Many of the defects are for tyre and lighting faults which any competent driver can surely identify and have rectified immediately. No doubt the drivers would claim that the lights and tyres had failed seconds before being stopped .
If a truck or bus operator displayed such a complete disregard for safety they would lose their operators licence for good.
It will be too late once someone is badly maimed or killed.
Bryan Hanson, Busy Lane, Shipley
https://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/opinion/17356198.letter-of-the-day-disgraceful-taxi-drivers-show-a-complete-disregard-for-safety/
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UBERK LONDON
Uber has announced that it is adding 15p/mile onto every trip taken through the app in London.
This new fee is part of the Mayor’s Clean Air Plan, and will be added from Wednesday 16 January.
In an email to customers, Uber said: “From Wednesday 16 January, a Clean Air Fee of 15p per mile will be included on every trip taken through the app in London.
SEE ALSO :Ride-hailer targets tenfold growth in African market
“This will only apply to miles travelled on a trip, and will not include miles travelled to your pick up location.
“The 15p per mile will not be affected by dynamic pricing.”
While the new fees are bound to cause controversy amongst customers, Uber reassures that they’re being put to good use.
The email added: “The money will go towards helping drivers to upgrade and maintain an electric vehicle as well as other clean air initiatives.”
Uber has also set itself the aim of making every car on the app in London fully electric by 2025.
https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/article/2001309474/uber-prices-set-to-increase-this-week-london
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BOURNEMOUTH
INDIAN taxi-hailing firm Ola has been granted a licence to operate across Bournemouth – as long as it improves its wheelchair accessibility options.
Members of Bournemouth council’s licensing board agreed to award an operator’s licence to the company on Thursday, praising the safety features it has in place.
The app-based service will now be able to offer its service across the borough while discussions are also being held to expand it into Poole.
Unlike its competitors, including Uber and Lyft, Ola has a pool of drivers using licensed Hackney carriages as well as private hire vehicles.
A series of licences have been awarded to the firm by councils across the South West and south Wales since it began its expansion into the UK at the beginning of 2017.
Its app can already be used in cities including Bristol, Exeter and Cardiff while the company’s senior operations manager, Wouter Merkestein said that “positive discussions” had been held with Poole and Portsmouth council officers.
The firm has said that it is its intention to recruit about 150 drivers in Bournemouth as well as to appoint a “day-to-day operations manager” to oversee its work in the borough.
Its request for a licence was considered at Thursday’s meeting of the council’s licensing board.
At the meeting, Mr Merkestein said that the UK was the first step of its expansion into Europe.
“For the UK, we have communicated our plans to be in every place where a competitor is, so we have applied for a large number of licences and have been granted several as well,” he said.
“Our focus is on this area but we have several [licence applications] across the country which are in hand and have been applied for or are being prepared as we speak.
“In this area, we have the one licence in Southampton and have had positive feedback in Portsmouth and positive discussions in Poole so far as well.”
Councillors questioned how well the app catered to people with disabilities and, despite agreeing to grant the licence, requested that this be improved as a condition of the approval.
Committee chairman, Cllr Andrew Morgan, said: “We have decided that we are prepared to grant an operator’s licence for Ola to operate in Bournemouth.
“We would, however, condition you to have an option to choose wheelchair accessible vehicles and see their availability.
“We feel customers should have that choice – it’s one of our key objectives to help people of all abilities get around comfortably and safely.”
LONDON ADDISON LEE
The Government has given the go-ahead for three new trials of self-driving vehicles, which are expected to reach UK roads by 2021.
Luxury taxi firm Addison Lee will lead one of them, called Project Apollo, to introduce an app-based, on demand ride-sharing service in London.
The consortium includes Oxbotica, the self-driving vehicle software company with which Addison Lee is already working to create a 3D map of Canary Wharf, in preparation for autonomous vehicles.
Paul McCabe, Addison Lee Group corporate development director said the project in the capital would deliver “better mobility for its people, enhanced public transport, cleaner air and safer streets.”
The taxi firm is also a participant in a second consortium, called ServCity, led by Jaguar Land Rover. This will build a premium mobility service across four London boroughs, using six autonomous Land Rover Discoverys.
The third autonomous vehicle trial – Project CAV Forth – will take place in Edinburgh, where five autonomous full-size single decker buses will run a 14-mile service from Ferrytoll Park and Ride in Fife across the Forth Bridge to the Scottish capital’s Train and Tram Interchange.
The project aims to run buses every 20 minutes, accumulating 20,000 weekly journeys as a test bed for future autonomous bus services.
The bus will be Level 4 autonomous, which means that a driver will have to be on board at all times.
https://www.fleetnews.co.uk/fleet-management/london-taxi-fleet-to-lead-autonomous-vehicle-trials
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GARDAÍ IN WEST Dublin are urging drivers to report suspicious activity following a number of robberies from taxi drivers and delivery drivers over the Christmas period.
TheJournal.ie understands that there have been three such incidents in the week in the Tyrellstown and Clonee areas of west Dublin – however just two have been reported to gardaí.
Most of these incidents have occurred when the taxi has been hailed using a phone app. Gardaí believe that the gang picks its target by constantly hailing cab, thereby allowing them to get an older driver.
A driver’s photograph is typically displayed on the phone app when they are en route to pick up the fare.
Taxi drivers have been targeted a number of times in the last two years in this area. One of the drivers was using a dashcam and was able to upload the footage of the robbery and send it to gardaí.
The footage shows three young men in the car. The last frame of the incident shows the alleged thief in the front seat removing the camera. What the man did not know was that the footage was already uploaded to a cloud server and the driver was able to retrieve it.
During this incident, the thieves made off with the dashcam itself and the driver’s phone as well as his cash takings for the night.
https://www.thejournal.ie/west-dublin-taxi-robbery-4420178-Jan2019/
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Taxi drivers in Madrid will go on strike this month to insist on more regulations for ride-sharing car services such as Uber, ABC reports, citing union leaders.
Driver will stop working on Jan. 21, two days before Madrid hosts an international tourism fair. Some unions are still deciding whether to join the strike and will hold votes Tuesday and Wednesday, ABC reports.
In July, taxi drivers in Barcelona and Madrid blockaded highways in an attempt to block the award of new licences to companies such as Uber Technologies Inc. and Maxi Mobility Spain SL’s Cabify.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-01-13/madrid-taxi-drivers-to-strike-in-bid-for-tighter-uber-rules-abc
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https://insideevs.com/london-taxi-based-electric-van-delayed/
