It is party conference season in the political arena where parties gather to set out their agendas and with a General Election looming possibly next year it is likely that these will have been the last conferences before the event.

Conference season is also well and true upon the IoL, with the Taxi Conference having just taken place in Northampton at the beginning of October and the signature National Training Event scheduled to take place in November in Stratford upon Avon.

At the time of writing there are still some limited places available, with details available on the IoL website at www.instituteoflicensing.org. The theme emanating from the Taxi Conference just passed was very much a need for consistency in the sector by way of national standards and enforcement powers and we await news from Government in this regard.

However, there is some better news for those in Wales with the update on 3 October from the Welsh Deputy Minister for Climate Change, Lee Waters MS on the Taxi and Private Hire Vehicle (Wales) Bill followed by a debate in the Welsh Parliament, and we await updates from Wales with great interest, as it looks as if new legislation is likely.

Elsewhere the national media has reported on FOIs concerning the number of Wolverhampton licence holders in metropolitan areas, including London and Manchester, with the evasion of local standards and erosion of local control which this causes. As I have written previously, this will only be resolved by updated legislation, or at the very least local authorities working constructively together to ensure that not only are standards maintained, but also authorities are properly delegated and resourced to deal with drivers and vehicles licensed elsewhere operating in their areas.

However, the theme of this month’s article is again inspired by a question I received from a local authority about Compliance Certificates and MOTs.

I am aware that the difference between a compliance test and MOT has been covered in May’s Edition of PHTM by Dave Lawrie, director of the NPHTA, however this article takes a step back and begins from first principles, as there is a difference between a council vehicle compliance test/check and the issuing of a Compliance Certificate, which has many on both sides confused.

Firstly, starting with the MOT which most of us as general road users will be familiar with; standard road vehicles are due an MOT when the vehicle reaches three years’ old. However, section 47 Road Traffic Act 1988 requires a ‘taxi’ (defined as a hackney carriage by the Transport Act 1985) licensed under the Town Police Clauses Act 1847 to have an MOT after a year (from being new). This does not apply to private hire vehicles, which still must be MOT’d when the vehicle reaches three years’ old. This is explained in section 32 Best Practice Guidance (current 2010 version).

So hackney carriages have to have an MOT at one year old, private hire vehicles at three years’ old - so far so good. Vehicles will be issued with an MOT Certificate after they have passed the test, which is also recorded on the national database.

However an MOT will only test a vehicle for roadworthiness against the MOT inspection criteria as directed by VOSA and it is likely that the licensing authority will want to ensure that the vehicle being presented for licensing meets its criteria, or is adhering to its conditions during the course of a licence.

Remembering that the principle licensing legislation allows the council to set criteria in respect of vehicle specification:

• For hackney carriages; Section 47 Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976 allows conditions to be attached to hackney carriage licences, and for the authority to prescribe hackney carriages to be of such design and appearance as may be required.

• • For private hire vehicles; Section 48 LGMPAG 1976 requires the licensing authority to be satisfied a vehicle presented for licensing as a private hire vehicle is
• • suitable in type, size and design for use as a private hire vehicle;
• • not of such design and appearance as to lead any person to believe that the vehicle is a hackney carriage;
• • in a suitable mechanical condition;
• • safe;
• • and comfortable;

And be able to attach conditions to the licence.

Therefore licensing authorities can set specifications for vehicle design which may be over and above or not assessed by a ‘standard’ MOT, so the authority will need some mechanism of vehicle inspection to ensure the vehicle is suitable to be licensed according to its criteria, as well as being mechanically safe.

Moving onto the subject of vehicle testing by the licensing authority; Section 50 LGMPAG 1976 requires the proprietor of any hackney carriage or private hire vehicle licensed by a district council to present the vehicle for inspection and testing by or on behalf of the council within such period and at such place within the area of the council as they may by notice reasonably require; on no more than three separate occasions during any one period of twelve months.

This means that councils can ask for vehicles to be tested up to three times a year to ensure they remain in a suitable condition to be licensed. Tests can also be carried out by the council or on their behalf, for example if they do not have ‘in house’ testing facilities.

This test under Section 50 is separate to the MOT and is a demonstration that the vehicle continues to be suitable for licensing. Many councils require a test to be carried out at the time of application, and then at intervals during the licence period. Many Councils also issue a form or record to the proprietor that the vehicle has passed the council inspection. This is not an MOT certificate, however it is often needed for the purposes of an application or for council records to demonstrate that the vehicle has been tested in accordance with the required criteria.

The point raised in the previous PHTM article on vehicle testing is how the MOT inspection criteria are different to a Section 50 test. The MOT test is conducted to a defined, national standard set by DVSA. The Section 50 test is conducted against the council’s local criteria and will likely include MOT items, but will also include Licensing Policy and Condition requirements, including livery, signage, meters and safety equipment which not specified by an MOT.

The inspection process for many councils deliberately seeks to embrace safety aspects of vehicle inspections using, as a basic inspection standard, those laid down in the MOT Inspection Manual – Private Passenger & Light Commercial Vehicle Testing, issued by the DVSA and in some cases using the Fleet Transport Association Best Practice Guide, which provides additional testing requirements to those in the MOT Inspection Manual.

It is also possible for councils to specify criteria higher than the MOT standard. For example in its Policy and Conditions a council may specify that vehicle tyres must have a minimum of 2mm tread, so whilst vehicle tyres with 1.6mm tread would pass an MOT as this is the national minimum, they would fail the council test. It is therefore important to be aware of any difference to local requirements as this can, and does, lead to confusion.

The purpose of the vehicle test is to confirm vehicles meet these more stringent standards for the carriage of passengers. The expectation is that vehicles must be submitted fully prepared for the test and the vehicle test is not intended to be used in lieu of a regular preventative maintenance programme.

However, where a vehicle is being tested by (or on behalf of a council) at an appointed testing station, it is possible for the examiner to issue an MOT certificate as well as a vehicle test pass whilst conducting checks on the vehicle against both criteria. Each local authority will have a policy on this, and may charge an additional fee for the MOT certificate and record to be produced and updated.

Hopefully the above has clarified that the MOT and Section 50 test, whilst both are an inspection of the vehicle, are against different criteria for different reasons.

This is where an additional complication is thrown into the mix because it is possible for a local authority to issue a ‘Compliance Certificate’ in lieu of an MOT Certificate.

The MOT guide for testing stations sets out that taxis and private hire vehicles that are licensed by certain authorities do not need to have an MOT Certificate and can be issued with a Compliance Certificate instead.

This is not an MOT Certificate and will not be recorded on the national DVLA database.

This Compliance Certificate is effectively the designated authority being able to issue the vehicle with an exemption, under regulation 6 of the Motor Vehicles (Tests) Regulations 1981, from the legal requirement to have an MOT Certificate under section 4 Road Traffic Act 1988.

However, again this only applies where the council is certified by the Secretary of State to do so. Designated authorities may test vehicles not only to MOT standards, but to also incorporate additional Policy and Condition requirements set out above to ensure the vehicle is suitable to be a licensed hackney carriage or private hire vehicle.

The MOT guidance states that the DVSA has no involvement in setting these higher standards so any appeal against them has to be dealt with by the authority, not DVSA.

Exemption/Compliance Certificates cannot be issued until the vehicle has been tested by or on behalf of the authority to standards that at least equal those for MOT tests.

It is also important to note that when a taxi or private hire vehicle ceases to be licensed, its owner must obtain a normal MOT certificate.

Clearly if a vehicle is being inspected to a standard equal if not higher than an MOT, then some councils have gone down the route of issuing a Compliance Certificate to say the vehicle meets the MOT standard. This could be cost effective to the trade through not having to obtain a separate MOT.

Yes, a vehicle can hold both. As set out above, the Compliance Certificate is not recorded on the DVLA database, which as Dave Lawrie’s previous article describes can cause some difficulty in the vehicle being seen publicly not to have an MOT. Taxing the vehicle can also prove difficult with the proprietor being require to complete an additional Declaration of Exemption from MOT V112 form.

Some authorities elect to issue a normal MOT certificate in addition to an exemption certificate in order to negate these potential difficulties. This also provides the vehicle owner the same facility of appeal to DVSA as anyone who has been refused or issued with an MOT certificate.

This subject often causes confusion for both drivers and licensing staff and I would again urge members of the trade to join the IoL to be sure that they stay on top of how this (and other) complicated areas of licensing work.

For full details, please visit: www.instituteoflicensing.org.

WHERE DO YOU SEE YOUR BUSINESS IN FIVE YEARS’ TIME

Fellow operators, are you worried about the future of your business? Are you worried you are losing your market share, your drivers and your customers? If so, stop thinking about it, stop talking about it, now is the time to do something, to ensure both the long-term survival of your firm and our industry.

Our trade is still a vital part of the UK transport network but we are facing substantial challenges in a rapidly evolving world.

We are also hindered by outdated and cumbersome regulation and have recently been threatened with further disruption by multinational companies with deep pockets trying to challenge licensing legislation in the courts.

Whilst it is still important to try to influence and use the support of our politicians as well as legal means to protect our trade, we shouldn’t overlook alternative ideas that can achieve the same goals, perhaps even more effectively.

I believe there is now a new realistic and practical solution to these pressing problems. A solution I am already successfully using in my own business, want to know more then please read on.

Taxi and private hire firms play a vital role in supporting local economies and fostering fair competition yet many are losing their customers and drivers to large multinational apps with no real plan to get them back.

Unfortunately, these firms currently lack the essential tools to compete on a level playing field. As a consequence, customers are not getting the service they deserve and drivers have no input in the work that they do - this is why we are sadly seeing many local firms across the country shrinking, merging and closing down.

The majority of local operators are struggling to recruit and retain new drivers. There are close to 400,000 drivers in the UK and the big multinational apps will have around 150,000 drivers and growing. Drivers will now work under more than one operator and have multiple apps on their phones, which has led to cherry picking of jobs and an increasing number of job refusals.

Whilst drivers are the backbone of our trade, the truth is their interests have not always been prioritised or their loyalty nurtured. It’s therefore really no surprise so many have been lost to the big apps. It’s simple, to get drivers back and recruit new ones, we need to put them in the driving seat, keep them safe and pay them well.

This current shortage of drivers creates an illusion of heightened demand, but it doesn’t necessarily indicate better times. In addressing these critical issues, it’s essential that firms adapt and devise solutions to optimise productivity, make efficient use of resources, and reduce overhead costs. This calls for smart and effective automation that brings real change.

In reality, the taxi and private hire sector has a promising future with ample room for growth. There are several compelling reasons to anticipate increased demand for our often undervalued service.

Factors such as the rising costs of private transport, stricter parking restrictions, low emission zones, toll charges, poor public transport all point towards a bright future for our industry.

However, we find ourselves in a new era, and it is unwise for us to cling to outdated practices solely because of their familiarity. Without adapting to the changing landscape, there will be no future for local firms.

Some have already shut their doors, and others have, or are, actively seeking opportunities to exit the industry. While this may be a suitable path for some, it is not the desired route for the majority.

Our trade has always been fragmented, as are the rules and regulations of the different councils we work under. This has allowed the multinational apps to grow to the size they are, and there is no doubt that they will continue to increase their market share unless local operators start working together to join up the dots.

It is therefore vital to understand that the era of individual firms operating in isolation is in the past. The route to our industry’s survival is collaboration, which I believe can be achieved without compromising the interest of our own individual businesses.

Whilst app drivers often toil relentlessly for unmet rewards and regularly complain about low fares; many nevertheless continue to choose this path purely for the convenience and sheer number of trips on offer.

Local firms like ours, have a unique opportunity to provide a more appealing arrangement for these drivers and so win them back to join our own circuits. The key lies in collectively utilising available resources, a goal that has been elusive in the past due to the need for collaboration between different firms. However, with new technology, we can now accomplish this without the necessity of formal or informal agreements being made by any firm.

We all know what passengers want when they’re on the move; a fast, easy, safe and convenient way to book their trip and we all know what app has the most business on it. A clean cab to arrive quickly and on time. That’s what we, as an industry, must work on together, to ensure we give the public another real option with enhanced features giving them confidence to jump to a new app.

It’s no secret that technology has significantly helped our industry, and in fact we all, including the multinational apps, use the same business model, just packaged in different ways. However, the fundamental issue with this current business model, which no one as yet has addressed, is the lack of transparency and choice, and this is the cause of so many problems that we operators have to deal with on a daily basis.

But now we’re in a new era, with emerging technologies offering fresh means and tools that can redefine the rules of the game and more importantly give us the operators a real opportunity to work together.

Transparency will result in trust and choice will bring satisfaction. This is why I would like to introduce you to Safekab/Safewalk, which I believe has resolved both these issues. Safekab is not a dispatch system or an app but represents a totally new concept and a fresh business model. It is a profoundly significant development, and I encourage you to explore it, at least for your own understanding. It does not require any change to your current daily operations however, it will open new opportunities that will help your firm offer an improved safe service for your community and choice to both your customers and drivers.

Safekab also addresses a crucial issue currently facing our industry which is whether operators act as the principal or not. This is fundamental to the financial survival of any private hire or taxi firm. The current business model has been identified by the courts as the operator acting as principal. However, we believe using Safekab overcomes this issue for the operator.

Safekab’s mission is to improve the current model by:

• • Connecting drivers to passengers
• • Putting drivers in the driving seat
• • Total transparency for both parties
• • Ensuring job satisfaction ultimately leading to better customer service
• • Fostering a safer working environment

Simultaneously, Safekab also provides customers with an enhanced service and more choice, giving them control and so guaranteeing their satisfaction.

Sakekab is a 100% automated service that provides national coverage using local cab firms to offer a totally transparent service to both customers and drivers. It is designed to run alongside your current dispatch system but it would help if your technology partners also embraced this new concept.

Safekab will provide the opportunity for you to win back lost drivers and customers and help your firm to thrive and perhaps even expand in this new world.

Safekab offers a comprehensive solution. I firmly believe it’s a solution worth serious consideration.

Can Safekab join up the dots? I really think so.

Want to learn more?
Please contact Gavin on 07917 669182 or gavin@safekab.co.uk

HACKNEY AND PH TRADE IN CHORLEY LEAD THE WAY BY UNITING FOR SURVIVAL

Private hire and hackney drivers as well as operators have come together to form the Chorley Taxi Association in a bid to raise the quality of service, have better representation with the council and share information.

The association was the brainchild of Mohammed Esa, businessman and owner of a hackney carriage, who back in August asked Shaz Malik, operator of Chorley private hire firm, Four Sixes Taxis, for his help to support the hackney trade in Chorley.

Mohammed said: “Shaz is already involved in a variety of community projects, so he seemed the ideal person to approach.

“Shaz looked at the situation with fresh eyes and concluded we needed to get the whole trade to work together - operators, hackneys and private hire drivers to speak on taxi issues with one voice, as opposed to each sector dealing with the same issues separately - by forming a joint association for the benefit of all the Chorley trade.”

Shaz said: “To be honest it was wishful thinking. Historically, just like many other towns in the UK, hackneys and private hire drivers in Chorley have always had their differences. We had no idea how we could begin to unite the trade or how the infrastructure would even sit.

“We decided we needed more people to get involved and invited Shakail Ahmed, Shoaib Desai and Rashid Sohail, operators and hackney drivers who have been in the trade for many years to join the management team.

Shaz explained: “It takes time and effort to create and establish a company infrastructure. So, whilst we give our time for free, in order for the new association to function, members of the trade need to make a token commitment by paying a monthly fee.

“The money received from the membership fees covers the cost of running the association and will also be reinvested to support the local trade.

“As an experienced business consultant, I know it's easy to talk about something, but challenging to actually make it happen. If we all did everything we say we are going to do, we would be 100% productive, unfortunately we know that’s not the case.

“This project has had many challenges, especially trying to launch a new concept into a live working environment with limited financial backing.

“We are dealing with taxi issues that have been in place since the 1800s and are regularly debated across the country. So, it was important that the association was set up with a clear and sensible agenda, with realistic and achievable goals.

“In order to be a member of Chorley Taxi Association you have to hold a current taxi licence from Chorley Borough Council; and whilst every member must pay a monthly contribution, due to the current financial crisis, it was important to keep the payment affordable – so the fee was set at the cost of a weekly cup of coffee.

“In just over six weeks since initial conception, the company Chorley Taxi Association (CTA) was registered at Companies House and we immediately joined the National Private Hire and Taxi Association (NPHTA).

“To save money, CTA is based at Four Sixes office where a dedicated telephone number, email address and online platform has been set up and a website is on the way.

Drivers now feel supported and members are welcome to drop-in anytime for legal advice or help with any taxi-related issues.

“We have also designed an eye-catching logo and produced printed membership cards for each trade member which gives access to discounts at local businesses such as: takeaways, restaurants, car washes, accountant, insurance brokers. This will help generate more business locally which will also help our trade.”

Shaz recently had a meeting with Usman and Nathan from the Chorley BC licensing department to explain the benefits of everyone working together (both the council and the trade) and the council was very much in favour of the initiative .

CTA will now represent ALL sectors of the Chorley taxi trade, both at council meetings where general taxi policy is currently under review and addressing urgent issues such as vehicle age limits as well as liasing with the local police force highlighting the ongoing problem of stone throwing and driver attacks.

All CTA trade members are certified hackney and private hire drivers, who have not only been verified by the council but also registered with the Chorley Taxi Association, which will give customers that extra piece of mind.

Previously, if a customer forgot any of their belongings in a hackney carriage, they would have to either remember the driver’s licence number or vehicle registration number to ask about the item or wait on the taxi rank hoping to see the driver at some point during the day. As hackney drivers are self-employed and have varied shifts this would have been a difficult task!

Hackney and private hire drivers who are CTA members are now all on one platform so it is now much easier to locate missing items and return them back to customers. Also, information can be quickly shared regarding traffic jams and road closures making customers’ journeys safe and hassle free – and the driver’s job much less stressful!

Members will also receive regular updates regarding the latest changes in rules and legislation putting any driver who is not a member at a clear disadvantage.

Shaz warned of issues arising when booking an Uber, as the company is not currently licensed in Chorley and any Uber drivers in the town come in from other boroughs.

He said: “A customer who decides to book an Uber or other drivers who are not members of the CTA could be at a disadvantage. As Uber drivers are not licensed in Chorley, if there are any problems then unfortunately you have to contact the borough which licenses them to resolve them.

“All the taxis currently operating in Chorley are not all from Chorley.”

Shaz said: “CTA is now here to serve and support the Chorley community. We want to want to work on a local level creating a symbiotic trusting relationship. Now, if a customer has a complaint, they can contact CTA in the first instance and we will try and resolve the issue.

“I am really proud to be the founder of CTA and hope that drivers in other towns and cities will now copy this model.

“We are building something unique for Chorley, a shared platform for all hackney and private drivers - and it’s not only for the trade but for the people of Chorley.”

CTA is a name you can trust, building a better future for the people of Chorley - keeping both drivers and passengers safe!

Together we are stonger!

A united trade is the future for our industry!

TAXI PASSENGER ON M6 NEAR CARLISLE WITH £40,000 COULD NOT EXPLAIN IT

A taxi passenger who was being driven through Cumbria on the M6 was carrying £40,000 in cash which he could not account for, a court heard.

Cumbria Police applied to a district judge at Carlisle’s Rickergate court to continue holding the money for officers can investigate its origins.

The Vietnamese passenger was in the country illegally and did not come to court for the hearing.

A police financial investigator told the court that the taxi was stopped as it travelled past the motorway’s Junction 41. The taxi – which had been booked legitimately from a firm in Birmingham – had been to Glasgow. It was stopped because it was travelling south “at speed,” the court was told.

The investigator said the man had no fixed address but after he was handed over to immigration officials he was released on bail.

District Judge Timothy Gascoyne granted the police application.

Cumbria Constabulary will be allowed to keep the money for six months while the investigation continues. The police application was made under powers from the Proceeds of Crime Act.

WELLINGBOROUGH DEALER FOUND WITH DRUGS IN TAXI IN RUSHDEN JAILED FOR 45 MONTHS

A 21-year-old man caught in possession of drugs and associated paraphernalia while travelling in a taxi in Rushden has been sentenced to three years and nine months in prison.

Deon St Vie was a passenger in the taxi, which was stopped in Hayway, Rushden after the driver had picked him up from an address in Wellingborough in February.

Officers searched St Vie under the Misuse of Drugs Act and found he was carrying more than 122g of cocaine, a small quantity of cannabis, weighing scales and bicarbonate of soda – used as a cutting agent.

A search of his home in Wellingborough found a total of 247 individual wraps of heroin and 24 wraps of cocaine – all various weights ranging from 0.47g to 30.54g. A small quantity of cannabis was also recovered.

In addition to this, two mobile phones, which contained advertising messages he had sent to publicise the sale of Class A drugs, were also seized along with an extendable baton.

St Vie was charged with three counts of possession with intent to supply Class A drugs – heroin, cocaine, and crack cocaine – as well as possession of a Class B drug (cannabis) and the possession of an offensive weapon in a private place.

He pleaded guilty to all five offences at the earliest opportunity and on October 5, at Northampton Crown Court was sentenced to three years and nine months.

LIVERPOOL MAN CHARGED AFTER GUN FOUND IN BACK OF PRIVATE HIRE VEHICLE

A man has been charged after a firearm was found inside the back of a PHV in Liverpool.

At 8.15pm on 29 September, officers stopped the PHV on Eaton Road as the passenger in the back was behaving suspiciously. They noticed a bag in the vehicle but the man then ran away before police could stop him.

Patrols looked inside the bag and found a 2.2 revolver, four 2.2 rounds of ammunition and £100 in cash.

On 5 October, Kyle Simm, 39, of Liverpool was charged with possession of a firearm and possession of ammunition and was been remanded into custody.

BLACK CABS DESCEND ON DOVER TAKING SICK AND TERMINALLY ILL CHILDREN TO DISNEYLAND

Scores of black taxis and their drivers descended on Dover ferry port carrying some very important passengers on a special journey.

The cabbies travelled in convoy to the port bringing groups of sick and terminally ill children to Disneyland Paris.

The annual outing across the Channel was the 28th trip organised by The Worshipful Company of Hackney Carriage Drivers, which plans the outing every year.

They set off from Canary Wharf in London on Friday 29 September before boarding the P&O ferry.

Every vehicle was sponsored and fund-raising events are held throughout the year. But it could not happen without the cabbies who give up their time to drive the children to the theme park and then take the youngsters around.

The convoy, which can reach up to five miles long, is so large police outrider escorts are used both in Britain and France.

A gala Disney dinner and disco then took place on the Saturday evening.

The Magical Taxi Tour has supported some 6,000 children visit Disneyland, and for many it would be their first trip in a cab and first trip abroad.

SCEPTRE FINANCE DIRECTOR COMPLETES MEMORY WALK IN AID OF ALZHEIMER’S SOCIETY

Finance expert Brian Chester, completed the 7k Memory Walk in Chelmsford with his sister on Sunday 1 October in aid of the Alzheimer’s Society.

Brian, who is the director of finance brokerage Sceptre Finance, has been arranging taxi and private hire finance for over 30 years.

His late father suffered from Alzheimers before his death in 2019. Brian said “It’s such a cruel illness that puts a huge strain on carers and loved ones.

“We are so pleased to have raised £990 for this very worthy cause.

“We’d like to thank friends, family and business associates, especially Close Brothers Asset Finance, for their support and kind donations”.

To make a donation, the link is:
www.justgiving.com/fundraising/chelmsfordmw2023-brianchester

SCORKER TAXIS ST. ALBANS SUPPORTS ITS LOCAL CHARITY

On Saturday 30 September, the company participated in Herts Young Homeless ‘Great Big 11 Mile Walk.’

Not only did the firm provide ground transport for walkers from St. Albans to the start of the walk in Markyate; four drivers also took part and the firm raised £640 through fundraising and donating £1 for every app booking made during the month of September.

POPPY CABS SUPPORT VETERANS ON REMEMBRANCE SUNDAY

On 12 November when the Capital falls silent at 11.00am, hundreds of London’s black cab drivers who volunteer to take veterans to the Cenotaph and the Parade as part of the Poppy Cabs free Service, will also pause to remember.

Since 2009 volunteer black taxi drivers have provided a free Poppy Cabs taxi service for veterans attending the annual Remembrance Day service and parade.

This year over 1,000 free taxi journeys will move veterans from stations across the capital to the Cenotaph thanks to the generosity of London’s cab drivers.

Mike Hughes, Poppy Cabs Coordinator, said: “We’ve been providing the free Poppy Cabs service for 14 years and every year it gets bigger. The service is funded entirely by London cab drivers, often accompanied by family and friends, who volunteer their cabs and their time for this important service.

“Knowing that the Poppy Cabs service is available, relieves much of the stress for veterans attending this emotional event and every year we are overwhelmed by the support of the London cab trade and the men and women who give us their time and vehicles.”

VETERANS AND LONDON BLACK CAB DRIVERS TAKE TO GOODWOOD RACE TRACK

On 29 September, ten London cab drivers who volunteer for the Taxi Charity for Military Veterans took fifteen veterans to Goodwood to participate in a motorsport event.

The event was hosted by Mission Motorsport and gave veterans the opportunity to sit in the passenger seat and race around the track at speeds of up to 150 mph in a range of sports cars including, BMW, Audi, Ferrari, and Aston Martin.

Mission Motorsport launched in March 2012 to help those affected by military operations by engagement through sport and the Taxi Charity was delighted to be invited to bring veterans to the race track.

Among those attending with the Taxi Charity were six Chelsea Pensioners who were picked up from the Royal Hospital Chelsea and driven to Goodwood in three iconic London taxis.

One of the Chelsea Pensioners, Korean veteran Mike Smith, said: “What a couple of weeks I have had. On 12 September the Taxi Charity took me to an event at Biggin Hill and I got to fly in a Spitfire and then today I have been whizzed around the race track at high speeds and had great fun on the skid pan.

"What a wonderful treat and I am extremely grateful to the Taxi Charity for Military Veterans for making it all happen. An unforgettable two weeks.”

Frances Wyhowska, Ambassador Taxi Charity, said: “Mission Motorsport gave our veterans and drivers a marvellous day out. “Everyone was given the opportunity to experience laps in sleek supercars at speeds of up to 150mph. The Chelsea Pensioners couldn’t be drawn away, that is until they discovered the skid pan!

“Our volunteer drivers even got the chance to do three laps of the track in their cabs, albeit at a slightly more sedate pace.

“The kindness of everyone at Mission Motorsport was outstanding and the smiles on the faces of our veterans and drivers said it all.”

To find out more about the support the Taxi Charity offers to veterans or to donate visit www.taxicharity.org

NORTH WALES TAXI DRIVER FINED OF £105 FOR LEAVING VEHICLE TO SPEND A PENNY

A taxi driver has told how he tried to spend a penny but has ended up having to pay £105. Hugh Jones says rules state you can’t leave your vehicle and therefore make it unavailable to hire.

The 67-year-old, a taxi driver for 25 years, had surgery on an enlarged prostate in 2019 but still sometimes has to go to the loo urgently when nature calls.

However, he says when he got caught short one day in March he stopped in Rhyl to go to a friend’s toilet, but was promptly fined £35.

Mr Jones, of Rhyl, tried to gather evidence to prove he had had the op but by that time the fine had risen to £105, which he doesn’t feel he should pay.

He said: “I had this sudden urge to go to the toilet in March. I parked in the high street in Rhyl to go to the toilet at my mate’s newsagent’s.

“I was only gone five minutes and I was fined £35. I wanted to spend a penny but have to pay £105!” he blasted.

Mr Jones, a married Dad-of-two, added: “Going to the toilet is a basic human right. I had to wear a catheter bag for six months but I couldn’t hack it anymore so I paid £7,800 to go private in Wrexham.

“I even gave the council evidence of my operation from my surgeon but they didn’t want to know.”

Mr Jones appealed to the Traffic Penalty Tribunal Service but has lost.

He had been officially told he can go to the High Court but couldn’t afford it.

“I’m a hard working man but I had to take out a bank loan to pay for my operation yet the council could spend thousands (on their case).”

A spokesperson for Denbighshire County Council said: “The council does not comment on individual cases.”

BRITANNIA TAXIS DRIVER CAME TO AID OF MUM WITH FLAT TYRE IN SUTTON MANOR, ST HELENS

A mum is looking to thank a “kind and thoughtful” taxi driver who came to her rescue on the morning of Tuesday 3 October when her tyre burst during the school run.

Mum-of-six Toni Owen, from Sutton Heath, was driving her three youngest children, one aged six and two others aged nine, to school when her front tyre burst near Jubits Lane, Sutton Manor in St Helens.

Having never changed a tyre before, Toni was struggling with the task while taking tips via Facetime from her husband on how to sort it out when a kind taxi driver came to her aid.

Toni, 39, said: “I must have hit the front tyre on a kerb and it went flat and then my head also went.

“I got the kids out and then of course it started lashing it down with rain.

“I was struggling on Facetime with my husband when a Britannia Taxis driver pulled up and said that he’d just driven past me dropping off a client, then circled back to help me.

“I was just so grateful, he even let the kids sit in the back of his taxi to stay dry while he changed the tyre for us. He was just in a T-shirt and got absolutely soaked.

“He wouldn’t take any money for helping me, just goes to show how kind people can be.

“Instead of my kids missing a day of school, thanks to him they were only ten minutes late.

“I just want to find out his name, as he never told me, and thank him so much for being a kind person to a mum in need.”

ACCESS-IONIQ 5 EV PRIVATE HIRE LOW RIDER WITH MORE ACCESS

Earlier this year we instructed LVSA (transport survey specialists) to carry out a public survey to gain a better understanding of what the personal daily transport needs are for disabled people living in the Wirral Borough Council area.

Fifty-five people from various groups took part in the survey; twenty-six people were wheelchair users whilst the other twenty-nine people were either elderly, ambulant disabled, had walking difficulties, were cancer patients or were partially sighted or blind.

The survey showed that all fifty-five people would like to have access to a wider variety of plated licensed vehicles to assist or complement the public hire industry and that low rider vehicles are needed for this purpose.

This response reflects the results of surveys already completed in other areas across the country and clearly shows that access to disability-friendly transport is a growing problem nationwide.

The fact is that since 2020 there has been a massive 48 per cent decline in the availability of licensed hackney carriages in the Wirral.

In 2021 Car ‘n’ Cab Care Ltd, an established taxi vehicle supplier based in the Wirral, reached out to both the local trade and to members of the public for further feedback and was told that people with any form of disability or mobility issues were waiting up to two hours to get a taxi that meets their needs.

Unfortunately, Wirral Council will not license the hackney version of the electric vehicle - Taxioniq 5 - as a hackney carriage; even though it is already plated by Sefton and Halton councils as both these councils have a mixed fleet policy.

All of the people surveyed in Wirral stated that they would prefer to have more vehicle options not less in an industry that is moving more towards the private hire trade.

• • low-rider vehicle
• • easy for wheelchair users to transfer into
• • 6ft 2in wide
• • 4ft wide door and good head height
• • expanding boot

It’s clear that a significant number of wheelchair users prefer to transfer to a seat and store their wheelchair and any luggage in the boot of the vehicle. The question we asked our local operators and all the Liverpool City Region councils was: “will the private hire industry embrace the needs of the public and pay for it?”

THE ANSWER IS YES!

Why are low riding vehicles important? Facts:

• • The only purpose-built taxis with 36cm height access are the outstanding and unrivalled TX1, TX2 and TX4
• • These vehicles are now rapidly being replaced by: diesel E7s, Vito Taxis and Pro-Cabs that are actually up to 12cm higher to access
• • All of these vehicles have a step and handles to assist the public to access the vehicle but it can actually be too much to climb into or step down from which can be a frightening prospect or just not possible at all for some passengers
• • However, the TXe with 37cm height access is available but is not the preferred option for some taxi drivers

We reached out to Liverpool City Council (LCC) and Cheshire West and Chester Council (CWAC) as well as various operators in those areas to offer:

• • Some or all of the extras inside a hackney Taxioniq 5 that could be licensed as a PHV but recognised as an ‘access for more’ service that also meets the government's zero-emissions policy.
• • The Access-Ioniq 5 exterior does not display a top hat and does not have a meter but would provide the same level of service for the customer inside the vehicle as a hackney Taxioniq 5.

Screened vehicles are now requested by many councils and desired by PH drivers nationwide for protection. The PH sector already has the option for screened vehicles in four out of seven Liverpool City Region councils: CWAC, LCC, Halton and Sefton.

Car n Cab Care aims to offer all vehicle interior options to ALL the private hire trade in the UK ASAP.

Taxioniqs, Prioniqs and access vehicles

You choose which options you want:
Extras for Ioniq 5 costs inc. vat

• • Yellow patches & leatherette £500
• • 2 x yellow grab handles £500
• • Moving screen & pay area £2500
• • Yellow kick plates £250
• • Yellow door cards £250
• • Internal sticker kits £50
• • Non-slip floor & boot line £200
• • Door decal signs £15
• • Rear door opening sign £300
• • Access-Ioniq 5 decal kit £500
• • Option of hearing loop £300
• • All extras can be transferred from car to car with no damage, excluding painting yellows

Points for all drivers to consider

• • All electric vehicles are 100% tax deductible
• • Drivers are working from 3p per mile
• • Councils may offer free licences
• • No age limits on all full electric vehicles
• • Can be pre-booked to assist public or will be
• • Wirral BC has the first 100% charging station for taxi drivers to rapid charge from 38p per kwh

Ioniq 5 offer for this month

• • 8.9% APR offer on used Ioniqs
• • 11.9% APR on new
• • 58kw (250 wltp) £32,500 + vat – ONLY 6 LEFT
• • 77kw (45 in stock) save £1,000 extra - £35,667 + vat

We aim to offer this new type of private hire service to the public hire sector in all LCC regions.

Lease options are available in our local areas OR finance options if out of our region.

BRACKNELL FOREST DRIVER KNOWLEDGE TEST TO STAY, SAYS COUNCIL

Drivers will still have to pass knowledge tests before getting their licences, Bracknell Forest Council decided at a licensing committee meeting on 19 October.

HC and PH drivers in Bracknell must sit geographical exams, but some had argued that satnavs meant in-depth knowledge of the area was no longer needed.

The council voted to keep the tests following a consultation with drivers expressing divided opinions on the matter.

Council documents say that 65% agreed the test should be kept, while 28% disagreed, adding there was a “clear divide” between HC drivers who wanted to keep it and PH drivers who thought it should go.

Some taxi drivers thought the test should stay, arguing that satnavs can be unreliable. One driver said: “I feel very strongly that all licensed drivers should have knowledge of the local area as we are obliged to take the shortest route and satnavs are not that accurate.”

But another said satnavs meant the test was no longer needed - and having to pass it can stop many aspiring drivers from getting a job.

It stated: “This requirement discourages potential drivers from joining the PH industry, limiting the opportunities for operators to recruit drivers.”

Other responses argued that the knowledge test should stay for HC drivers, but should not be compulsory for PH drivers.

One person said: “I would agree that hackney drivers should have a good level of knowledge of the local area as they are hailed by customers. I don’t think that private hire drivers would need to necessarily retain this element for the nature of the business, being on advance booking only there is an element of preparation of route for the driver before [they are] dispatched.”

The test will remain in place for both hackney and private hire drivers, but officers were asked to review the format of the exam.

VEEZU GRANTED EXEMPTION FROM BRANDING RESTRICTION IN CARDIFF DESPITE CONCERNS

Veezu will be allowed to display its branding in Cardiff despite the concerns of competitors in the city.

The Newport-based company was granted permission by Cardiff Council on October 25 to be exempt from a condition restricting the size of livery PHVs can display.

Exterior advertising is permitted on the outside rear door panels of PHVs in Cardiff provided it does not exceed the dimensions of the panel and is restricted to one advertisement only.

Veezu, which owns Cardiff-based Dragon Taxis, made a proposal for the livery on its Cardiff vehicles to cover a larger proportion of the vehicle than the rear door.

Unite’s Cardiff representatives committee wrote to the council saying that allowing exceptions to uniformity among taxis in the city may lead to a “fragmented and confusing experience for passengers”

The committee also raised concerns of a potential unfair economic advantage being given to Veezu and for a precedent to be set.

A letter from the committee states: “This could lead to an array of different vehicle appearances, potentially complicating enforcement and oversight for the council.”

In response to queries about the potential for unfair advantages, members of Cardiff Council’s public protection committee were told that other operators are free to make the same application to the council that Veezu did.

Explaining the benefit of having vehicles wrapped in the Veezu livery, company representative Katie Oram told the meeting: “Cardiff is popular for customers to come to on a night out... wrapped vehicles will provide assurances they are going into a licensed vehicle”

Market evaluation of the proposed wrapping was carried out, using Veezu’s passenger base and other passengers from the same area.

In a letter to the council Veezu said: “We believe that [the] higher the instant recognition of a pre-booked vehicle is, safeguarding and general standards of personal safety, particularly for women, vulnerable groups, and people with visual impairments are significantly enhanced.”

WINDSOR & MAIDENHEAD COAT OF ARMS LIVERY CONSULTATION

The Royal Borough coat of arms could soon no longer be required on taxis in a bid to encourage a move to hybrid and EVs.

At a meeting on 16 October, RBWM licensing panel considered proposals to consult with hackney carriage drivers about removing existing mandates on colour and decoration for hybrid and EV taxis.

All new taxis in the borough have been required to be white and feature a purple bonnet and boot plus the coat of arms since 2012.

However, a council officers’ report notes this has long been unpopular with drivers due to costs.

The report reads: “The livery gives RBWM hackney carriages a unique appearance in comparison with traditional black taxis, makes them readily identifiable to residents and visitors who may not be familiar with the differences between HCs and PHVs, and provides a smart, uniform appearance.

“The livery has been unpopular with drivers mainly due to costs of having it applied and because it reduces the amount of private work they can get as potential clients might be put off by it.”

Officers noted the need to move taxis and PHVs away from fossil fuels and towards electric and hybrid for “environmental and reputational purposes” as well as the looming 2035 ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars.

The Licensing Panel noted the report and:

i) Agreed that research should be conducted into the availability and cost of electric, hybrid HCs and all other vehicles, and whether the models available complied with requirements for wheelchair accessibility,

ii) Agreed that consultation should be conducted with users, HC drivers and all other interested parties as to possible changes to the livery on any licensed vehicles, and

iii) Agreed that the results of the research, the consultation and options for changes to the livery on licensed vehicles, be brought to the next Licensing Panel meeting on 13 February 2024.

PLANS TO TURN PLYMOUTH’S TAXIS GREEN COULD BE SCRAPPED

Plans to turn Plymouth’s taxis green could be scrapped along with the famous “knowledge” test and a ban on cabbies wearing jeans.

Plymouth City Council has launched a consultation on controversial changes it brought in last year and is now considering a U-turn. The council is asking drivers, cab firms and passengers for their thoughts on major changes to the Licensing Policy which was formally implemented in May 2022.

The council is considering altering it: “to take into account the current economic conditions and the cost of living”. A report was signed on 17 October, giving the go-ahead for the four-week consultation on October 23.

Key changes include:

• • Review and or revoke the livery policy which requires new hackney cabs to be green and white by 2027 - although the council will still require them to display door signage.
• • To remove the Knowledge Test for PH drivers to encourage more applicants to enter the trade.
• • To allow drivers to wear black jeans as part of the dress code.

A year ago Plymouth taxi drivers complained after being offered £200 by the council towards the cost of turning their black cabs green and white.

The cabbies called the payment an “insult” saying it will only cover about 10% of the cost. The Plymouth Licensed Taxi Association penned a strongly worded letter claiming there had not been a proper consultation on the taxi licensing policy.

Cllr Sally Haydon said: “While the aim of the green and white livery was to make Plymouth cabs distinctive and drivers feel proud of where they are from, we are aware that it is currently very difficult to source the white vehicles needed to create the green and white look.

“They are expensive and the second-hand market is non-existent. Plymouth cabs will still be recognisable by the council brand on doors with their licence details.”

To take part in the consultation until Thursday 23 November visit: https://tinyurl.com/ywuj6hf5

RADIO TAXIS SOUTHAMPTON ACHIEVES 98% BOOKING COMPLETION RATE WITH TAXI BUTLER’S GUEST QR

Radio Taxis Southampton is the largest taxi fleet in the city, with over 500 vehicles, and was recently awarded the title of QSI Private Hire Company of the Year. The company constantly evolves to meet customer needs and enhance the standard of work for all drivers of taxis and private hire vehicles working with them.

To achieve this, Radio Taxis incorporated new technology to address their business goals of improving automation rates, streamlining the booking process, enhancing customer experience and increasing booking completion rates while increasing its taxi fleet’s efficiency.

CHALLENGE

Radio Taxis encountered challenges communicating with customers to confirm bookings, leading to fewer people showing up for their bookings. As a result, this affected the taxi booking quality as taxi drivers experienced delays and lost revenue when passengers did not show up as planned.

Simon May, the CEO of Radio Taxis & West Quay Cars, explains: “We are committed to growth and excellence in the taxi and private hire services. We continuously embrace innovation, seeking ways to elevate the quality of taxi bookings, reduce no-shows, and enhance customer and driver experiences.”

SOLUTION

Having established a longstanding trust in Taxi Butler with their purpose-built taxi booking devices for seven years, Radio Taxi partnered with Taxi Butler again to successfully implement Taxi Butler’s Guest QR and effectively address its unique challenges. When Radio Taxis implemented Guest QR across multiple hotels they already work with, guests could easily book a taxi from their smart-phones by scanning a QR code printed on different types of flyers, table tents and posters.

This process eliminated the need to download an app, call a call centre, or hail a taxi on the street. Guest QR verifies and authenticates passengers via SMS, ensuring reliability and reducing delays for taxi drivers. This authentication process minimises no-shows and leads to higher-quality bookings, benefiting customers and drivers.

RESULTS

By implementing Guest QR into their operations, Radio Taxis has successfully enhanced the customer experience and overall efficiency.

10% reduction in workload for dispatchers

One of the key benefits of integrating Guest QR for Radio Taxis is automating bookings from guests inside venues. These streamlined QR code bookings significantly reduce the workload for dispatchers by 10% and allows them to allocate more time to more critical and complex bookings.

98% completion rate

Guest QR eliminated the necessity for resource-intensive human intervention in the call centre and enhanced efficiency. Additionally, leveraging SMS authentication through Guest QR has enabled efficient communication and boosted booking completion rates by 98%.

“Small details are important when providing our customers with smooth, high-quality operational service. We are delighted to have achieved this with Taxi Butler’s Guest QR. Customer feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, appreciating the system’s ease and convenience.

One of the key benefits of Guest QR for us is its ability to collect accurate customer information and streamline bookings. It has proven to be a valuable asset for our company, and we are excited to expand usage throughout the city,” said Simon.

CABBIE COVERED NUMBER PLATE WITH PAPER AT BELFAST AIRPORT TO AVOID PAYING PARKING FEE

A cabbie who covered up his vehicle’s front number plate with paper and failed to pay the full fee at the drop-off zone at Belfast International Airport has been fined £200.

Philip Stephen Clarke, 33, of Lisburn, committed the offence on November 28 last year.

At Antrim Magistrates’ Court, he admitted charges of obscuring his number plate and making off without paying £35 of a £36 parking fee.

A prosecutor said police received a report from the car park office at the airport that a member of the public saw a taxi driver in the drop-off zone covering his front number plate before driving out. Police viewed CCTV which showed the defendant arrived in the drop-off zone at 9.20am and left at 11.10am.

“Before exiting the drop-off zone the defendant partially covered the front number plate with white paper, thus obscuring part of it,” a prosecutor said.

The court heard the defendant then paid £1 at the barrier and outside he then “removed the pieces of white paper to reveal the full registration plate”.

The full amount the defendant should have paid was £36. The defendant said he had paid back the money.

District Judge Nigel Broderick told the defendant: “You have been very foolish. You have placed your livelihood in jeopardy. There is an element of deception involved in this. You put a bit of thought into it. It wasn’t as if you were left without money.”

NINE YORK TAXI DRIVERS HAVE HAD THEIR LICENCES REVOKED IN 2023

Nine York taxi drivers had their licences revoked in 2023. A report was presented to City of York Council licensing and regulatory committee on October 11.

It showed that 12 licences were revoked in 2022, and four were refused, with reasons quoted as dishonesty, violence, sexual, driving, inappropriate conduct and medical.

Between January 1, 2023, and September 1, 2023, five drivers had licences revoked for their driving, three for inappropriate conduct and one under the ‘sexual’ category.

Dave Kelway, taxi licensing manager for the council, said the ‘sexual category’ could include “either sexual offences or information in relation to serious sexual inappropriateness”.

Mr Kelway said there was a test taxi drivers must take before they can obtain a taxi driving licence in York.

“Particular attention is paid to ensuring that all licence holders are ‘fit and proper’ to hold a licence,” he said.

“All applicants undertake a DBS check and are also checked against the National Refusal and Revocation, Suspension database.

“Applicants must also pass a safeguarding and knowledge test, pass a driving assessment and have less than seven penalty points.

In 2022, 12 taxi drivers were also suspended for failing to complete a DBS requirement, this dropped to just two by September 1, 2023.

Ten had been suspended for medical reasons already this year, up from six in 2022.

TELFORD PH DRIVER TO PAY NEARLY £2,000 FOR ILLEGALLY PICKING UP FARE

A private hire driver has admitted plying for hire following an undercover safety operation led by Telford & Wrekin Council.

Telford Magistrates’ Court heard that during an evening enforcement exercise earlier this year Muhammad Qasim, 30, from Telford, was approached by council officers and agreed to take themto the Clock Tower in Donnington.

Officers identified Qasim’s vehicle as one licensed by Shropshire Council.

The defendant pleaded guilty to plying for hire and driving without valid insurance when he appeared before magistrates on October 23.

He was fined £500, ordered to pay £1,250 costs and a £200 victim surcharge and given six penalty points on his driving licence.

TWO HYNDBURN CABBIES TO PAY £558 EACH FOR CHUCKING LITTER FROM CAR

Two taxi drivers have been prosecuted and fined for throwing litter from their car windows in Hyndburn borough as part of a council crackdown on fly-tipping and littering.

Both cases were presented to Burnley Magistrate’s Court at the end of August. Despite the two defendants failing to attend court, they were both found guilty.

Each received a £220 fine, £88 victim surcharge, and £250 in cost for the council, totalling to £558 to be paid to the court within 28 days or they will face further charges.

Cllr Steven Smithson, Hyndburn Council’s environment boss, said: “There are hefty fines for fly-tipping and littering and this ongoing council action demonstrates our commitment to enforcing these consequences in service of shaping a cleaner, healthier borough.”

STEVENAGE PH DRIVER TO PAY £4,025 FOR OPERATING WITHOUT LICENCE AND INSURANCE

A private hire driver in Stevenage has been punished for operating without a proper licence and insurance.

Stevenage Borough Council (SBC) took legal action against Paul Notley. after he was found to be driving a PHV without an appropriate driving licence or insurance.

At a hearing in Stevenage Magistrates’ Court on September 8, Notley pleaded guilty to all 12 charges brought against him.

They included charges for driving a private hire vehicle without a licence, and using a motor vehicle without third party insurance.

He has accumulated 36 points on his licence, resulting in an automatic six-month disqualification.

Notley has also been fined £1,680 and ordered to pay costs of £2,345. This culminates in a grand total of £4,025.22, payable in monthly instalments of £200.

The court heard of Notley “conveying vulnerable passengers over a prolonged period of time”.

Cllr Claire Parris, chair of SBC’s licensing committee, said: “This case only contained a small specimen sample of the number of charges that could have been applied for.

“It was deeply concerning to learn that someone who had responsibility for vulnerable people, undertaking SEND school transport and hospital trips would allow this to happen.”

MAN CAUGHT IN GLASGOW WITH FAKE LICENCE LOSES BID TO BECOME PH DRIVER

A man has lost his bid to become a private hire driver after it was revealed he was caught on the Clydeside Expressway with a fake licence when driving too slowly.

Police Scotland objected to Abdul Wajid Mian’s application to Glasgow City Council due to an incident in May 2021. An officer told councillors that the applicant had produced a “false” Italian driving licence when pulled over by police.

He had been stopped due to concerns over “excess braking” and “slow speeds.”

Councillors heard the applicant also showed a provisional UK licence to the officers, but he was “not accompanied by a qualified driver”.

Mr Mian, who has had a full UK driving licence since September 2021, was convicted in December last year. He said he had been told the fake licence, which he bought online, was legal, but police checks had shown it was fake.

Mr Mian apologised for his behaviour and said he had been driving from Paisley, where he lived, to a job. “I drive well in Pakistan,” he added.

Cllr Alex Wilson, SNP, Chair of the licensing committee, said: “You do realise you put yourself and others at risk. We cannot have people driving with fake drivers’ licence. Cllr Wilson moved that the application should be refused, while Councillor Jill Pidgeon, Labour, proposed an amendment to grant the licence for a restricted period of one year and issue a warning.

The motion to refuse passed by four votes to two.

TWELVE SOUTH AYRSHIRE TAXI AND PH LICENCES REVOKED FOR FAILURE TO COMPLETE TRAINING

Twelve taxi and private hire licences have been revoked across South Ayrshire because drivers failed to complete mandatory training, a report has revealed.

There are currently 442 taxi and 86 private hire licensed drivers operating across South Ayrshire, and all drivers must complete their mandatory training within six months of receiving their licence.

At the last two meetings of South Ayrshire Council’s regulatory panel, councillors heard that 12 taxi or private hire vehicle driver licences were revoked because the drivers concerned had failed the mandatory training.

Councillor Martin Kilbride, who chaired the regulatory panel’s meeting on Thursday August 31, said: “It is clear that there is a high number of drivers who have not completed their training, as required by their licence.

“We remind all drivers that they must complete their training within six months of the issuing of their licence.

"We also remind all drivers to respond promptly to any correspondence from our licensing team.”

NOTTINGHAM PH DRIVER CONVICTED DUE TO ENFORCEMENT OFFICER’S BODY CAM FOOTAGE

Gedling Borough Council has successfully prosecuted a Nottingham City private hire driver who fled when approached for a safety check.

In December 2021, a Gedling BC licencing enforcement officer approached a Nottingham City Council private hire vehicle being driven by Mr Manzoor Alam of Arnold.

The vehicle was parked opposite the entrance to Asda on Front Street, Arnold, near to an area reserved for taxis to drop off and pick up passengers.

The enforcement officer approached the vehicle driven by Mr Alam to ask him what he was doing and to perform a safety check on it.

The officer announced that they were going to perform a routine inspection on the vehicle, at which point Mr Alam drove off, ignoring the officer’s request.

CCTV footage also showed the driver mounting the pavement to get around other vehicles after the offence.

Gedling council officers used this footage to identify the driver and worked in partnership with Nottingham City Council’s Licencing Team to carry out an interview under caution, later taking legal action against the driver through the courts.

Mr Alam was convicted of wilfully obstructing a Gedling BC licencing enforcement officer, fined £336, and ordered to pay a £34 victim surcharge as well as £720 in prosecution costs.

Councillor David Ellis, Portfolio Holder for Public Protection said: “We are committed to ensuring the safety of our residents and checks like these by our licencing officers help to protect the public from unsafe and illegal practices, such as drivers who are not properly licensed, insured, or who are operating outside of their licensed area.

Not only that, but they also help ensure that our Gedling Borough licenced drivers, don’t lose trade to those trying to take advantage and operate outside of the rules.

We will continue to work in partnership with other licensing authorities to keep our borough safe, and this conviction sends a very clear message that these offences will not be tolerated.”

AYR DRIVER SUSPENDED FOR REPEATED VEHICLE FAILURES: PASSING ONE OUT OF FIVE MOTs

A councillor said he ‘wouldn’t want his family in a taxi’ maintained by an Ayr taxi driver who was unanimously suspended for repeated vehicle failures.

Balkar Singh appeared before South Ayrshire Council (SAC) Licensing Panel after a series of issues with his taxi. The panel heard that Mr Singh had avoided a suspension a year ago when councillors agreed to address issues with the maintenance of his cab by demanding it be tested every four months.

The taxi failed an inspection in April this year and Mr Singh was again cited to appear before the panel.

The matter was continued to allow Mr Singh to attend. However, no further action was taken before his vehicle failed its MoT in July, where it presented with a exhaust mounting defect, broken spring coil and was given an advisory on a worn tyre.

While it passed a subsequent MoT, it still had the tyre advisory.

Officers asked the panel to consider suspending Mr Singh as no longer being a ‘fit and proper person’ to hold a taxi licence and that granting a licence would create ‘undue public nuisance or threat to public order or safety’.

SAC Fleet Inspector Graeme Beattie said that the fact the car had failed four out of its last five MoTs indicated that ‘it appears a minimum is getting done’ to get through tests, adding: “It is very, very poor upkeep of the car.”

Mr Singh claimed he’d been getting his taxi checked every month and everything had been ‘fine’ other than the one fault.

He added the garage said the broken spring could happen to any car and suggested it happened as he transported seven passengers with suitcases on a bumpy road.

Cllr Iain Cavana said: “I’m disappointed to see four out of five (fails). I don’t know who does your maintenance.”

He pointed out Mr Singh should have made sure the vehicle was alright before it went for an MoT.

Cllr Hugh Hunter called for Mr Singh’s immediate suspension. He said: “I’ve heard enough. I do not believe Mr Singh is a fit and proper person to hold a licence.”

TfL REVEALS HOW OFTEN CABBIES DRIVE £60K HYBRID TAXIS USING JUST ELECTRICITY

TfL has revealed how often cabbies drive their hybrid cabs using only electricity. Data from a recent survey suggests that sometimes cabbies have to use their petrol range extender mode whilst on the job.

Responding to a FoI request from a member of the public, a TfL official wrote: “In our most recent TPH Taxi and PH Licensee Customer Satisfaction Survey from November 2022; of 248 LEVC TXe drivers surveyed, over two thirds stated that they drive their vehicle in pure electric mode more than 60 per cent of the time.

“The petrol range extender mode is used far less frequently, with more than half of respondents stating that they used it 40 per cent of the time or less.”

This comes after the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, suggested that more research should be conducted to understand the impacts of an increase in greener vehicles amid concern that “heavy” EVs could result in extra wear on the city’s roads.

He said: “The weight of cars has been increasing by around one per cent per year for several decades, so this problem is not specific to EVs.

“As battery technology continues to improve there could be an opportunity to reduce the weight of batteries to help reduce any additional impact on road wear.”

REQUEST TO DELAY ELECTRIC VEHICLE TAXI CONVERSION IN TORRIDGE IS REFUSED

A request by the taxi trade in Torridge to allow it more time to go fully electric has been refused.

Torridge DC’s licensing committee has decided to stick to its current policy in a bid to get better infrastructure, such as charging points, in place sooner rather than later.

The Torridge taxi liaison comittee had asked the authority to push back compliance times for its 130 licensed taxis to go electric to April 2035, in line with the change in government policy.

They also asked for more time to replace their vehicles with lower emission cars to meet the Euro 6 standard which only 35% of taxis in Torridge currently meet.

But councillors decided to keep the 2026 deadline for Euro 6 compliance and 2030 for EVs adding that this will apply to all vehicles licensed for the first time.

Existing stock will be allowed to continue below the required emission standards until they reach the end of their natural life. Reps from the taxi liaison committee said it was not feasible to change all the vehicles to Euro 6 at this time or even in two years time.

Until sufficient charge points were in place, having EVs was not workable, and in rural areas with big hills and full loads of passengers, EVs would only do 200miles not 300-400 suggested, said one taxi company.

Firms say trade has not returned to pre pandemic levels; the cost of new/second hand vehicles had increased substantially; there had insufficient progress in respect of charge points and availability of cost effective and suitable EVs to operate in a large rural district.

Committee chairman Chris Bright said: “The government pushing back its deadline to 2035 is affecting everyone’s opinion of it. If we still aim for that 2030 date there will be more impetus to get more charge points in quicker.”

Cllr Anna Dart said EVs were not fit for purpose in Torridge for the majority of residents let along taxi drivers and there must be a place for hybrid vehicles

“It’s absolutely ludicrous, and moving the deadline once, the government is going to do it again if the infrastructure still isn’t there. Everyone is seeing sense, the economy isn’t up to standard, people cannot afford to do this.”

The committee was told that a second hand hybrid taxi could cost £45,000 and £60,000 or more new, and an EV in the region of £80,000.

But Cllr Stephen Gibson, who runs a fleet of transport vans, said he has been Euro 6 compliant for many years and moving deadlines was a dangerous thing.

“If that deadline stays, our businesses will find a way, you have got to have these deadlines in place or we will keep moving back and sending out the wrong message on the environment.”

MAN AND WOMAN JAILED FOR ROBBERY OF CABBIE IN MILTON KEYNES

A woman and a man have been jailed for a robbery in Milton Keynes. Stacey Theobald, 34, of Great Linford was sentenced to six years in prison at Amersham Crown Court on Friday 20 October.

A jury found Theobald guilty of one count each of robbery, possession of a bladed article in a public place, and breaching a criminal behaviour order, as well as two counts of assault on an emergency worker on 27 June after a six-day trial at the same court.

Charlie Scheel-Kruger, 29, was sentenced to three years, 10 months in prison at the hearing on Friday. He pleaded guilty to one count of robbery at a hearing on 27 June.

On 29 July 2021, a taxi driver, a man in his sixties, picked up Theobald and Scheel-Kruger and took them to Sandy Close, Great Linford.

When they arrived at around 3.30pm, Theobald threatened the driver with a knife while demanding money. Scheel-Kruger searched the centre console, stealing a small amount of cash and the victim’s taxi ID badge before they all made off. No one was injured.

The next day officers attended Theobald’s address in Sandy Close to arrest her for the robbery and she picked up a hammer and threatened the officers. No one was injured and officers arrested Theobald as well as Scheel-Kruger.

Officers took Theobald to hospital after she said she was unwell, where she caused damage to hospital property, breaching a criminal behaviour order.

DC Lisa McKinley said: “This was a terrifying ordeal for the taxi driver so I am satisfied that Theobald and Scheel-Kruger have been brought to justice.”

TWO DRUNK THUGS WHO BATTERED OLDHAM CABBIE FOR £60 TAKINGS BOTH JAILED FOR 40 MONTHS

Two drunk thugs forced a taxi driver to pull over before launching a brutal attack and robbing him of cash and equipment.

Prosecutor, Katy Laverty said that the cabbie picked up Ryan Wynn, 27, (right) and Ellis Mayall, 26, from a cafe in Royton in March.

As he drove off, they asked him if he had any change for £50, which he said he didn’t. They then told him to pull up outside a pub.

“As soon as he stopped the car, Mayall punched the driver whilst Wynn grabbed him from behind,” Ms Laverty said. “They took £60 as well as a PDR system.

“The cabbie sustained cuts and bruises to his lips, as well as a suspected broken nose and was unable to work for two weeks.” He said in a statement: “I have been a taxi driver since 1989, and I have never been robbed before.

"I was left feeling really down and it has made me think about if I want to be a taxi driver any more.”

When Mayall was arrested, he told officers to ‘prove it’ as he was cautioned; and when Wynn was caught, officers found a knuckle duster in his coat pocket.

They both later admitted being present at the robbery but blamed each other. Both eventually pleaded guilty to robbery and were jailed on October 6 at Minshull Street Crown Court.

Wynn was said to have a previous conviction for driving offences and Mayall was said to be of previous good character.

Recorder Joanne Woodward said: “The attack took place at night, in the complainant’s vehicle where he should have been safe and in circumstances where it was extremely difficult for him to make good his escape.

“He was left extremely distressed. I have no doubt this incident will play on his mind in the future.”

Wynn and Mayall from Royton, were both jailed for 40 months.

ROBBER WHO THREATENED STOCKTON CABBIE WITH KNIFE SENTENCED TO OVER EIGHT YEARS

A “dangerous” robber threatened to stab a “screaming” taxi driver at knifepoint. Convicted criminal, Lee Wood, 28, demanded that the cabbie hand over all his money in the ‘traumatic’ theft in December 2022. Co-accused Chelsea Wyatt, 24, was also in the Skoda taxi when drunk Wood demanded the cash.

The pair appeared at Teesside Crown Court on 11 October for sentencing, with Wood appearing via video link from HMP Durham.

Wood had previously pleaded guilty to robbery and Wyatt denied robbery but guilty to theft.

Prosecutor Paul Abrahams stated that the taxi driver had arrived in Stockton and picked the pair up, asking for the £19 fare upfront.

Wood then produced a knife. Video footage of the terrifying incident was played in court.

Wood can be heard saying: “Get out the car and there won’t be no problem. I swear down I’ll stab you. Give me all your money now.”

The screaming driver fled leaving £370 in his vehicle. Wood then drove the car off at speed. Seconds later he smashed into a parked car. Wood then left the vehicle which was later recovered by police. Wood was identified from CCTV footage outside his address and arrested there.

Wood has 25 convictions from 60 offences including two previous robberies.

Judge Howard Crowson sentenced Wyatt to a 12-month community order, she must also pay a £114 victim surcharge.

The judge deemed Wood a “dangerous offender” and was sentenced to eight years and four months. He will spend six years and four months in custody and two years on extended licence. He will not be considered for release until he has served four years and four months behind bars.

Wood will also serve 18 months concurrently for possession of a bladed article; nine months for dangerous driving; he was disqualified for two years and must also pay a £228 victim surcharge.

THUG WHO BATTERED LONDON PHV DRIVER AND STOLE HIS CAR JAILED FOR 45 MONTHS

A trio of masked thugs battered a cabbie and took his car before totalling the vehicle seven miles away in a street robbery around midnight in September 2022.

Devonte McKenzie, 23, from Lambeth, blamed the incident on his alcohol addiction and claimed his memory of the brutal attack was ‘hazy’ as he appeared for sentencing at Wood Green Crown Court on 9 October.

McKenzie even claimed - unlike his accomplices - he had not kicked or punched the defenceless cab driver, despite turning up for the robbery in a mask and running off with the key.

The attack left the cabbie with a broken elbow and fingers, and dislocation and ligament damage in his shoulder, which forced him off work for over a month.

In a victim impact statement the driver said he had to buy a new car on finance after the crash left it completely destroyed.

“It was serious, I was extremely panicked,” the driver said. “I thought I was going to be killed, it terrified me.

“I thought they had a knife. They were kicking me and kicking me, I thought I was going to die.”

McKenzie was caught after blood from an airbag of the Toyota Verso was matched to his DNA one year later. It took until August this year when the DNA match was made and further police analysis of phone records pinned McKenzie to the robbery.

Judge Andrew Holmes said the robbery was ‘really quite unpleasant’ as he sentenced McKenzie to nearly four years in jail.

McKenzie will serve half of his 45-month sentence before he is released on licence.

UPDATE ON THE TAXI AND PRIVATE HIRE VEHICLE (WALES) BILL

In March 2023, the Welsh Government (WG) published a Taxi Licensing Reform White Paper regarding reform of taxi regulation in Wales. The WG stated in that White Paper: “All around the world the taxi and private hire vehicle sector is being transformed by technological advances, particularly through the advent of app-based ride-hailing companies. This transition to a more automated system will continue and the industry needs to be prepared for the changes ahead.

“Autonomous ‘taxis’ are already being trialled in various locations across the world. It is clear that in the long term, Welsh legislation will need to be capable of addressing the challenges as they emerge. This will include the transition to ‘Mobility As A Service’, where transport is shared and on demand. Nonetheless there are longstanding issues with the current legislative framework around taxi and PHV licensing that need addressing urgently in the interests of public safety, fairness and environmental concerns.”

The Cabinet was asked to note the proposals to reform taxi and private hire vehicle licensing, including:

• • through the introduction of national minimum standards to deal with inconsistency of licensing standards across Wales;
• • improvements to enforcement powers to deal with drivers operating out of area;
• • the introduction of better information sharing between local authorities:
• • the lack of clarity around the distinction between taxis and PHVs and what they are allowed to do.
• • power to set a date by which all vehicles must be Zero Emission Vehicles (ZEV)

The WG invited responses to the Taxi and Private Hire Vehicle (Wales) Bill: white paper and received 148 such responses and in September published a summary of the responses which can be found here:

https://www.gov.wales/sites/default/files/consultations/2023-09/taxi-summary-of-responses.pdf

On 2 October 2023 Lee Waters MS, Deputy Minister for Climate Change, who is responsible for the White Paper, made a statement to the Senedd confirming the WG would take forward plans to introduce a national standard for drivers, vehicles and operators and empower enforcement officers to take action against drivers licensed out of area, especially when there are concerns for public safety.

Although national standards will not apply in England or Scotland and cross-border journeys between these jurisdictions will continue, the WG plans to prevent drivers from securing licences out of Wales only in order to avoid the new national standards. How such drivers will be identified and how this will be implemented is yet to be decided.

The WG is working with the Centre for Digital Public Services to explore options for better information sharing between councils and has listened to drivers’ concerns about their safety, and will review requirements such as the wearing of badges and CCTV.

Regarding ‘multi-platforming’, there were mixed views about the causes of cancellations and no consensus on the actions that would be effective to prevent them, so the matter is to be kept under review.

Concerns about transitioning to ZEVs were noted, including cost, range anxiety and charging infra-structure. Wales cannot move faster than the rest of the UK on these issues, but transition to EVs by the industry is expected in line with the rest of the car market.

We will continue to engage with the trade to ensure our legislation works for the whole of Wales.

HEREDFORDSHIRE: NEW LICENSING POLICY FINALLY AGREED

Herefordshire’s long-standing wrangles over taxi licensing have finally been resolved with a new deal agreed between drivers and the county council.

At a full council meeting on Friday 13 October, Herefordshire councillors voted unanimously to adopt a new taxi and private hire vehicle policy which will run until 2028, following changes in national guidelines on licensing made in 2020.

Hereford HC and PH Association chairman, John Jones, who has campaigned to have drivers’ concerns taken into account, welcomed the move. The association’s members had unanimously backed the new policy earlier in the week, following “quite a lot of meetings” with council officials, he said. “We now have a good set of conditions that are fair on taxi drivers.”

Previous sticking points had included a proposed “Knowledge” style test of the county’s routes and tight age limits on vehicles.

In March last year around 50 taxi drivers protested at a council meeting where an earlier draft of the licensing policy was being debated, before staging a rally through Hereford in their vehicles. The drivers then threatened to call a strike last New Year when they felt their concerns still hadn’t been addressed.

Herefordshire Council licenses around 900 owners of HCs and PHVs as well as dual drivers of both classes.

Cllr Barry Durkin, Cabinet Member Roads and Regulatory Services, said: “The new policy has been created by a legal specialist following consultation with taxi trade members and meetings with both the local and national trade associations. Due consideration has been given to all comments received, and we’re pleased to have the support of the Taxi Association.

The new policy further enhances the council’s ability to carry out suitability tests and ensures that all licence holders are informed about their safeguarding responsibilities. It also offers the opportunity to share information on issues surrounding CSE, modern slavery and illicit trade practices with other councils.

The revised policy encourages different fuel types, including small two seat electric and hybrid vehicles.

The implementation date will be two calendar months on to allow time to achieve compliance.

For more information and to read the new Taxi Policy, please view the meeting papers:

https://councillors.herefordshire.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=291&MId=8968&Ver=4

NUNEATON & BEDWORTH: POINTS SYSTEM TO BE INTRODUCED

Cabbies in Nuneaton and Bedworth will face ‘penalty points’ for rudeness and unclean vehicles.

Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council has brought in the points system under changes to its Hackney Carriage, Private Hire Drivers, Operators and Vehicle Proprietor Licensing Policy and Vehicle Licensing Policy.

The system will be used when there is no offence of breach of licence conditions and will replace the current ‘lighter touch’ enforcement actions that are used when complaints are made about drivers’ conduct.

The council said: “Individual warnings for minor misdemeanours may not warrant a reconsideration of the driver’s ‘fitness and propriety’ to act as a driver but repeated warnings could result in more formal action.”

It has said that using a penalty points scheme will improve the levels of compliance, it will not be a ‘punishment’ but a scheme to monitor drivers’ behaviour and conduct over a period to establish whether they remain ‘fit and proper’ to hold a licence.

The change will see penalty points given out for a number of misdemeanours such as:

• • Private hire drivers parking on taxi ranks
• • Hackney carriage drivers leaving hackney carriage vehicles unattended on ranks
• • Failing to notify damage to vehicles within statutory timescales
• • Rudeness to customers
• • Unnecessary prolongation of journeys
• • Unsatisfactory condition of vehicle
• • Failing to display badge
• • Failing to carry badge in vehicle
• • Providing requested documents late and many more

Under the new system, points could also be added where drivers are convicted through the courts of some driving offences such as speeding, crossing a red light, bald tyre, using a phone or smoking while driving.

If a driver racks up 12 points, they will be referred to the council’s licensing committee to decide if any action needs to be taken. The points system was part of a range of changes proposed to the policy which were discussed by the council’s licensing committee at a meeting at the Town Hall on October 17.

EAST SUFFOLK: TRADE REPS SPEAK OUT AFTER DECISION

Taxi and PH representatives have spoken out over the ‘dire state’ of the trade following a council decision.

Councillors of East Suffolk Council’s licensing committee met on 16 October, to discuss the trade reps’ concerns regarding the ‘horribly long and costly’ licensing process new drivers must go through.

The reps called for the licensing process to be stream-lined and for ways to alleviate financial burdens on drivers when applying. However, they say they were saddened after councillors decided to carry only one of their recommendations.

Stacey Lock, MD of Five One Taxis, in Lowestoft, said: “They have no interest in supporting our trade and what they’re doing is compromising public safety.”

The issues had already been raised during a scrutiny committee meeting on September 23, when several recommendations were put forward.

According to Ms Lock, attaining a licence would set back drivers at least £800. This, she says, is ‘driving people away’ from getting into the trade and has resulted in limited services due to lack of drivers.

Ms Lock explained this was even affecting the delivery of some school transport, including that of SEN children.

She continued: “We are the third wheel so to speak - everyone forgets about the taxi service, but when the ambulances don’t run or you can’t get the kids to school, we’re there to help.”

However, while councillors from the licensing committee acknowledged the financial burden on drivers and carried a motion to look into ways to alleviate it, they did not feel streamlining processes were appropriate.

Cllr Colin Hedgley said this would lead to a ‘watering down of the standards’ expected from trained drivers.

He added: “I have seen some rogue taxi drivers and they get through the system we’ve got at the moment which we think is quite strict.”

Cllr Mark Jepson added: “While I fully understand the financial burden on taxi drivers, I do think we have an obligation to make sure that those taxi drivers operating in East Suffolk should be adequately trained.

“As much as I understand it, I think we should maintain that high level of assessment.”

Cllr Mike Deacon, who chaired the scrutiny committee in September and presented the recommendation on Monday, said he was let down by the decision.

He added: “Everything that we would like to have seen was covered by the recommendations.

“Quite frankly, I’m disappointed that the licensing committee didn’t see it the way we saw it.”

Following the licensing committee’s decision, officers will now look at ways to ease the financial burden relating to the application process.

NORTH YORKSHIRE: LEGAL ACTION THREAT OVER SINGLE ZONE

Taxi drivers have threatened legal action against North Yorkshire Council’s decision to abolish hackney carriage zones. Senior councillors backed the introduction of a county-wide zone on April 1 at a meeting on October 17.

It means drivers can now operate anywhere across the county, rather than being limited to areas such as the former Harrogate district.

Taxi drivers say this has led to a range of problems, including drivers flocking to popular urban areas while ignoring less profitable rural areas.

Now licensing consultant, David B Wilson, has claimed the decision to introduce the single zone was unlawful and has threatened action.

In a letter to Barry Khan, the council’s monitoring officer, seen by the Stray Ferret, Mr Wilson gave notice that drivers had instigated a judicial review pre-action protocol and he urged the authority to find a resolution to the matter and investigate why the council’s executive had legally approved the measure.

Mr Wilson said: “As futile as it may be, as the challenged resolution was made with legal advice provided by you (monitoring officer) and Laura Venn (deputy monitoring officer), for the sake of completeness, my clients ask you to review the law and reconsider whether the council has acted lawfully when purportedly passing an extension resolution by the executive on 17 October 2023.”

The move comes after Ripon-based taxi driver Richard Fieldman urged councillors to delay the decision on October 17 as legal advice he received suggested the decision should be made during a full meeting of all 90 councillors rather than by its ten-person executive.

However, in response, Cllr Greg White and the council’s chief legal officer Barry Khan both said they were satisfied the executive had the right to make the decision.

The executive then voted unanimously to confirm the abolition of the seven zones and to create the single county-wide zone.

BRIGHTON & HOVE: NEW LICENSING POLICY FINALLY AGREED

Some fees charged to PH and taxi operators are expected to quadruple next year. Members of Brighton and Hove City Council’s Licensing Committee quizzed officials about the prospect of significant increases in some fees for 2024-25. These include a 75% increase in the knowledge test fee and a route test fee that could almost double.

Changes in administration and inflation have fuelled the increase, councillors were told at a committee meeting on Thursday 12 October.

A PHV licence is expected to double from £75 to £150 – and small PH operators face a rise of more than 300% in their licence fees from £167 to £700.

Larger PH companies, with three or more cars, face fees going up by 17.6% from £595 also to £700.

Vehicle transfer fees for HCs could more than quadruple from £52 to £220, a 323% increase. Vehicle transfer fees for PHVs could almost treble from £52 to £150.

The council’s regulatory services manager, Jim Whitelegg, told councillors that the current fees did not cover the cost of administering the service as costs had gone up and council tax payers had been subsidising the process.

Mr Whitelegg told the committee: “The need to increase some licensing fees by more than 6% is driven by the increased officer time required to administer licences and additional checks required.

“We do have a duty to ensure our costs are recovered and to avoid surpluses and deficits.”

Green Cllr Kerry Pickett asked why some of the charges were increasing by such large percentages.

Mr Whitelegg said that fees had been “artificially low” for years and, with the increases, would still be lower than neighbouring councils.

He said that the proposed £220 a year PHV licence worked out at £2.88 a week while the charges for the knowledge test and route test did not recoup the costs of running them.

Conservative Cllr Carol Theobald asked why the vehicle transfer fees were increasing. Mr Whitelegg said that the amount of time to process transfers was the same as for a new application and would be “more realistic”.

Green group convenor Cllr Steve Davis asked if the increases had gone before the trade through the Taxi Forum. Mr Whitelegg said that the figures had been “circulated” to the trade after the most recent forum meeting to allow for feedback.

SOMERSET: FARE HARMONISATION PROPOSAL

Taxi fares could soon be on the rise as the new unitary Somerset Council seeks to harmonise the cost of journeys across the county. The maximum fares were previously separately set by Somerset’s four district councils, resulting in substantial variations.

Now, the unitary authority which replaced the district councils in April, has published proposals to harmonise fares, allowing them to be adjusted across the county at the same time and reduce red tape for drivers.

But in many cases it will mean passengers facing higher fares, as officers admitted they were ‘tending to go up rather than down’ when trying to bring the former districts into line.

A breakdown of the new fares was published before a meeting of the council’s licensing and regulatory committee held in Taunton.

Under the proposals, the first mile will be £4.60 and 30p for every one-tenth of a mile or part thereafter.

This means a regular two-mile journey would cost £7.60 – the same as is currently charged in the former South Somerset area, but higher than in Somerset West and Taunton (£6.80),Sedgemoor (£6.80), and Mendip (£7.10).

Passengers will be charged a further £1 for every two minutes they are left waiting in traffic.

Drivers can charge a 50 per cent premium on fares on Sundays or weekdays between 11 pm and 7 am, and double the price on bank holidays, Christmas Eve, and New Year’s Eve between 6 pm and midnight.

Drivers can also charge £2 extra per passenger for more than four passengers; £100 soiling charge and tolls or CAZ charges as required.

Council licensing manager John Rendell said: “I suspect there will be objections. We know some licence holders, particularly those in the Taunton area, are not fully on board with the proposals just yet.”

West Somerset Cllr Marcus Kravis, questioned whether higher fares would lead to fewer passengers and asked how often the new fares would need to be reviewed.

Mr Rendell said: “The intention at the moment is that we will periodically review the maximum fares that we set, just to make sure they are at the right level.”

The council’s executive committee is expected to formally adopt the new charges when it meets in early November, and will set a date for when the new charges will come into effect.

PENDLE: TAXI SAFETY ROW RUMBLES ON

High failure rates for vehicle checks in Pendle borough have sparked contrasting claims the trade is reluctant to improve safety - or that officials are putting too much pressure on drivers.

Some have also alleged councillors are failing to push strongly for improvements, or even to hold the trade to account. And there is disagreement about whether vehicle checks should be done using a mobile phone app, paper check-lists or some other way?

There is also debate about what standard of vehicle inspections should be used - MoT-standard or another and whether inspection garages can be trusted.

Some Pendle councillors feel no real improvements have been made for years, and the evidence shows vehicle failure rates in the borough are higher than any other in Lancashire. Others ask if cheap fares, tough competition in a recession and low incomes are forcing drivers to cut corners on taxi maintenance?

Various council committee and working group meetings have looked at taxi safety. The row has escalated in recent months after particularly bad spot-checks where over 90% of vehicles had some kind of failing. The Licensing Committee then gave the trade ‘one more chance’ to come up with ideas for change.

There has since been a change in political control at Pendle Council following the May local elections which brought changes to committee chairman roles.

Before May, Pendle Conservatives were in power and Cllr Kieran McGladdery had a key chairman’s role on taxi committees. But he has become increasingly frustrated with the alleged situation and said he feared a serious accident will happen. He has also claimed some taxi meetings had effectively been ‘pointless’ because of the alleged lack of progress.

Pendle now has a Labour-Lib-Dem shared administration and the taxi committee is now chaired by a Labour Cllr Faraz Ahmad. He recently claimed Cllr McGladdery had an aggressive style towards the taxi industry, which had hindered progress.

At the latest taxi licensing meeting, Cllr Ahmad said he held discussions with the trade over summer and that a previous taxi meeting in autumn was ‘intense’ with some drivers unhappy with arrangements wanting the spot-checks halted. However, Cllr Ahmad believed two more rounds of checks should be done.

Cllr McGladdery believes app technology is the credible way forward for taxi safety. Paper check-lists can simply be faked - tick-box exercises, he felt.

Conservative Cllr Neil Butterworth was also frustrated. He said: “I've been on about 40 working groups over the past 16 years and nothing has changed.”

Councillors asked how many taxi drivers in the meeting had read an update email from the council a few days earlier. In a show of hands, just one or two from over 20 indicated they had read it.

Conservatives Neil Butterworth and Kevin Salter said many other Lancashire districts had much lower spot-check failure rates, such as Lancaster. Drivers and operators in Pendle must meet their responsibilities and be aware of the risks of prosecution, they added. The taxi committee agreed to hold more vehicle spot-checks before and after Christmas, and get more feedback including from the police.

Darren Harris, a solicitor and developer of a vehicle checking app was also at the meeting. He said: “Unlike a paper check-list, you cannot cheat with digital technology.

“It requires a physical check of the car. And it shouldn’t matter whether one area is poorer than another regarding taxi maintenance. It’s a false ecomomy for taxi owners to cut corners and neglect a car. Checking and maintaining a car will pay-off in the longer term, whatever the driver’s income.”

MEDWAY: TAXIS AND PHVs MUST ACCEPT CARDS

All taxis will be required to offer card payments after unanimous agreement at a full council meeting on 19 October.

Councillors said it was a necessary step to provide greater safety as many residents had said they had been turned away from taxis because they wanted to use cards instead of cash.

There was cross-party support for the proposal as members from all sides said it was important no-one would get stranded late at night, particularly young women on their own.

Cllr Dan McDonald, who introduced the item, said: “Promoting contactless payments aligns with our commitment to inclusivity and accessibility. For those with mobility challenges or who struggle handling cash, having the option for contactless payments ensures they can access taxi services with ease.”

Some councillors raised issues of connectivity black-spots, but were reassured this was being investigated and mitigation procedures were being explored.

No date is currently set for when the mandate for card readers will come into effect.

FORMER BRADFORD PRIVATE HIRE DRIVER ADMITS CAUSING BOY’S DEATH ON MANCHESTER ROAD

A former Bradford private hire driver has been warned to expect a substantial prison sentence for causing the death of a seven-year-old boy who was knocked down on the city’s Manchester Road.

Malakye Hall was killed late on August 11, 2020, when he was hit by a Toyota Auris driven by Mohsin Hussain, 32, from Bradford.

On 2 October, Hussain pleaded guilty at Bradford Crown Court, on the day he was to stand trial for causing the little boy’s death by dangerous driving. The Crown did not proceed with a second charge of causing Malakye’s death by driving without insurance.

Prosecutor Abigail Langford said footage from the night in question would be played during the opening of the case when Hussain is sentenced on November 23.

Judge Jonathan Rose enlarged his bail until that date but told him: “Be under no illusions, it will be a very substantial sentence of imprisonment for the taking of the life of this child.”

Hussain was banned from driving.

His barrister told the court that Hussain had paid for the little boy’s funeral and attended his wake.

Malakye was killed at just after 10pm after he had left his mother’s address and was trying to cross the carriageway.

Malakye was taken to hospital but died that later night from extensive head injuries. In August 2021, his mother Wendy Hall was jailed for three years for neglecting him.

SHORT-SIGHTED BRIGHTON CABBIE GUILTY OF DANGEROUS DRIVING AFTER MAN KILLED IN CRASH

A short-sighted taxi driver was not wearing his glasses and thought he had hit a sheep or deer when he knocked down a young father-to-be and left him for dead.

Abul Hussain struck Jack Brandon, 22, after dropping passengers off in Hassocks. Mr Brandon, from Hassocks, had been walking home after a wedding reception at 12.47am on July 3 last year.

CCTV showed Hussain, 55, driving without glasses driving past Mr Brandon 90 seconds before.

Hussain said he didn’t stop as it was “dangerous to stop there” on a national speed limit road.

Mr Brandon was found dead at the side of the road at 11am that day. He had been walking in the same direction as traffic westbound.

Hussain’s Peugeot Horizon was found in his driveway three days later with damage to the passenger side headlight, windscreen and wing mirror.

Hussain was charged with failing to stop, failing to report an accident and alternative charges of dangerous and careless driving. He was found guilty of dangerous driving at Brighton Magistrates’ Court during a seven hour trial on 16 October.

The court heard Hussain could only read a number plate 4.9m away without his glasses, a quarter of the 20m required by the DVLA.

Piers Restell, prosecuting, said: “The collision would probably have occurred even if the defendant wore his glasses but with better vision, he would have identified Mr Brandon as a person and not think it was a sheep or deer.”

The court also heard it was dark, the road was narrow and bordered by hedges and grass verges.

Richard Saynor, defending, said there was nothing to suggest that Hussain was driving dangerously at the time of the crash. His speed was between 40 to 45mph.

He said there was just over one second between Mr Brandon being visible and the accident occurring. The defence said it takes two seconds to emergency break.

Addressing the bench, Mr Saynor said: “You have to conclude his driving was careless. That the accident was unavoidable, it would have happened if he had glasses on or if someone had 20/20 vision.”

Mr Restell disagreed and argued that knowing he needed glasses to drive “falls below the standard to be a safe, competent driver”.

Asked why he was not wearing his glasses, Hussain said: “Since Covid when I wear glasses and a mask, my glasses fog up. It became my habit - sometimes I wear them, sometimes I did not.”

Hussain was given an interim ban from driving until his sentencing. on December 13 at Brighton Magistrates’ Court.

CABBIE DIED AFTER CAR CRASH WITH SPEEDING MOTORIST IN BARRHEAD - SENTENCE DEFERRED

A cabbie died after his car was struck by a speeding motorist. Edward Cullen, 55, was hit head on by Scott Gilligan, 35, on the A736, Barrhead, on June 14, 2021.

Mr Cullen’s vehicle then collided with pedestrian Margaret Mansell, 60, propelling her into the air. She landed in a hedge and suffered serious injuries including fractured ribs and kidney damage.

Mr Cullen had only returned to work having suffered a heart attack in October. The cabbie died from his chest injuries in September 2021 with heart disease being a potential contributing cause.

Gilligan, of Paisley, pleaded guilty at the High Court in Glasgow to causing serious injury and death by dangerous driving and to driving without insurance.

The court heard Mr Cullen was driving his Skoda Octavia taxi within the speed limit at the time.

Prosecutor Margaret Barron said: “Witnesses behind Mr Cullen’s car saw Gilligan’s vehicle enter their lane at a bend on the road. He drove at speed, before colliding head on with Mr Cullen’s vehicle.

Mr Cullen was trapped inside, conscious and breathing. Gilligan was described as being confused and asked what had happened. He provided a negative sample for alcohol and drugs in his system.

An investigation found Gilligan had driven at 69mph and straddled the white lines before the collision. No defects were found in either car.

It was revealed Gilligan has seven previous convictions including a number of road traffic matters.

Sentence was deferred until November and Gilligan was remanded into custody.

PLYMOUTH CABBIE RUN OFF ROAD CAUSING CRASH SUFFERS DIRE LACK OF POLICE HELP

A taxi driver has called upon Plymouth’s motorists to help her track down a driver whose “lack of attention” is said to have led to a crash, which she says could have killed her and her passengers.

Julie Pollard, 38, from Plymouth said she was taking three passengers - aged 85, 80 and 55 - to Liskeard on the morning of August 31. At around 11.30am, as she approached the Marsh Mills section of the A38, she became aware of a small silver car on her left, on the road leading down the off-slip towards the roundabout.

Julie said: “I was doing 60mph in the middle lane, suddenly my passengers shouted out ‘he’s coming over!’ and I saw this small silver car and this old person driving it, sliding towards my cab.

“I had nowhere to go and I started to gently brake, thinking I’d slow down and he’d miss me. Unfortunately, the rear of the cab slipped and I went across the lane, hit the crash barrier and then went across all three lanes to hit the central barrier.

“How I missed everyone else on the road I’ll never know.”

As a result of the incident the passengers suffered a broken bones and were all hospitalised.

Julie suffered broken ribs and bruising. She told police she had dashcam footage but was told it didn’t pick up the registration number of the silver car.

Julie said the police inquiries have come to nothing and claimed they told her they were unable to trawl through footage of cameras along the A38. However, Julie also noted that police had failed to make any public appeals or use local media to trace the driver of the silver car.

She added: “At the accident scene the police had 15 minutes to clear the road. They made me pay £192 to the recovery truck there and then - they wouldn’t let me wait for my recovery with the AA saying it would take too long.

“I even had to offer my name!

“In the end I was left to get a bus from the A38 to hospital to meet police and the injured passengers. I just want this person found because they are still out there and might cause another crash - perhaps a fatal one next time.”

CALIFORNIA SUSPENDS CRUISE DRIVERLESS TAXI TEST AFTER WOMAN CRITICALLY INJURED

Autonomous carmaker Cruise must suspend its driverless taxi operations in California immediately, the state's motor vehicles regulators announced on Tuesday, 24 October.

"The California Department of Motor Vehicles has notified Cruise that the department is suspending the company’s autonomous vehicle deployment and driverless testing permits, effective immediately,” the state DMV said in a statement.

“The DMV has provided Cruise with the steps necessary to apply to reinstate its suspended permits, which the DMV will not approve until the company has fulfilled the requirements to the department’s satisfaction.”

The regulator said it has the right to pull back permissions when “there is an unreasonable risk to public safety.”

The suspension, which only applies to Cruise trips where no human safety driver is onboard the vehicle, follows an incident earlier this month, where a woman in San Francisco was struck by a human driver in a hit-and-run accident that propelled her into the path of a Cruise robotaxi.

“Ultimately, we develop and deploy autonomous vehicles in an effort to save lives,” Cruise said in a statement to ABC7.

“In the incident being reviewed by the DMV, a human hit and run driver tragically struck and propelled the pedestrian into the path of the AV. The AV braked aggressively before impact and because it detected a collision, it attempted to pull over to avoid further safety issues. When the AV tried to pull over, it continued before coming to a final stop, pulling the pedestrian forward.”

The woman was hospitalised and was in critical condition.

“Our thoughts continue to be with the victim as we hope for a rapid and complete recovery,” the company added.

The suspension is a major blow to Cruise, which is owned by General Motors. Alongside Waymo, a subsidiary of Google parent company Alphabet, Cruise saw California, and in particular San Francisco, as a key testing ground of driverless taxi technology.

The companies both got permission from state regulators in August to conduct paid taxi services 24/7 without a safety driver in San Francisco, despite vigorous debate in the city over whether the AVs were safe enough to operate.

The rollout of robotaxis in San Francisco has been marred with problems. Driverless cars, in particular Cruise taxis, were accused of causing traffic jams and impeding first responders.

According to data Cruise shared with the state in August, between January and mid-July of 2023, Cruise AVs temporarily malfunctioned or shut down 177 times and required recovery, 26 of which such incidents occurred with a passenger inside, while Waymo recorded 58 such events in a similar time frame.

Meanwhile, according to the San Francisco Municipal Transit Agency (SFMTA), between April 2022 and April 2023, Cruise and Waymo vehicles have been involved in over 300 incidents of irregular driving including unexpected stops and collisions, while the San Francisco Fire Department says AVs have interfered 55 times in their work in 2023.

Last year, Cruise lost contact with its entire fleet for 20 minutes according to internal documentation viewed by WIRED, and an anonymous employee warned California regulators that year the company loses touch with its vehicles “with regularity.”

Since being rolled out in San Francisco, robotaxis have killed a dog, caused a mile-long traffic jam during rush hour, blocked a traffic lane as officials responded to a shooting, and driven over fire hoses.

Jeffrey Tumlin, San Francisco’s director of transportation, has called the rollout of robotaxis a “race to the bottom,” arguing Cruise and Waymo weren’t yet definitive transit solutions, and instead had only “met the requirements for a learner’s permit.”

Others have argued the introduction of driverless cars in San Francisco and beyond will further displace workers pushed out of the taxi industry by companies such as Uber and Lyft.

LIVERPOOL MUM STRUGGLED TO GET TAXI HOME WITH HER GUIDE DOG AFTER NIGHT OUT

A mum said she felt like a “second-class citizen” as she struggled to get a taxi home with her guide dog after a night out with a friend.

Sue Mooney, from Kirkdale, hailed a cab at 9pm outside the Cabbage Inn on Breck Road.

When the cab pulled up Sue claimed the driver saw her guide dog Carlo and told her she would not be allowed in the car.

He then drove off leaving her stranded on the side of the road.

Sue claims that this is the fifth time a Delta taxi driver has not allowed her to enter a taxi.

Sue told the Liverpool Echo: “He wound the window down and asked if that was my dog, refused to take us and drove off.

“It made me feel like a second-class citizen, I should be allowed to go where I want, when I want.

“My friend stayed with me until the next taxi driver came along. I can’t see and have very limited vision so if my friend had not been with me I would have stood there wondering where he had gone.

“This is not the first time it has happened and it leaves me vulnerable.”

Sue has been using a guide dog for more than a decade.

Sue, 60, said: “I called Delta and I was told that the driver must have an allergy. I was asked to fill in a complaint form.”

Sue believes more needs to be done to educate drivers, she said: “I would like to know that the drivers they take on are told that there is no excuse and that people with guide dogs should be allowed in the car. My dog is not an inconvenience.”

STRATFORD TAXI DRIVER LOSES LICENCE AFTER REFUSING TO TAKE DISABLED PASSENGER

A taxi driver from Shipston-on-Stour has had his licence revoked after refusing to take a disabled passenger in a mobility scooter.

Stratford-on-Avon District Council has revoked 69-year-old Mr Parker’s licence following a decision by the council’s licensing panel in March.

The driver had initially appealed the decision but withdrew his appeal before the hearing was due to be heard on October 9.

It comes after a complaint made in January from a member of the public in a mobility scooter, who said that Mr Parker refused to carry him in his hackney carriage vehicle whilst working in Stratford-upon-Avon town centre.

Cllr Lorraine Grocott, environ-mental and neighbourhood services portfolio at the district council, said: “Under the Equality Act 2010, licensed taxi drivers using accessible vehicles must not discriminate against disabled passengers, and they should also give them assistance when required.

“Actions such as these are inexcusable and certainly not the high standard that we expect from our licensed drivers, who all undergo disability awareness training to ensure they are aware of their legal obligation.”

Mr Parker is no longer a licensed driver with Stratford-on-Avon District Council and has been ordered to pay costs of £3,696 to the district council.

Cllr Chris Mills, licensing panel chairman, said: “We have a duty to ensure all taxi drivers in Stratford district comply with the terms and conditions of our licensing policy, which places paramount importance on the safety of the public.

“Taxi drivers hold a position of trust and have a duty of care, and when drivers fail in this duty, we have no hesitation in revoking their licence.”

TAXI AND PRIVATE HIRE VEHICLE CHECKS CARRIED OUT AT EAST MIDLANDS AIRPORT

Officers from the Rushcliffe South Beat team worked with Leicestershire Police at their recent Airport Safety week at East Midlands Airport.

Police were joined by licensing officers from North West Leicester-shire, Charnwood, Gedling and Rushcliffe borough councils; the DVSA and vehicle examiners to check taxis and PHVs were compliant and their vehicles in a safe condition.

114 vehicles passed through the inspection site at EMA over the duration of the operation.

General issues identified were cleanliness, inoperative lights, no spare wheel or inflation kits and tyres close to legal limits. Advice was given by VOSA enforcement officers.

Seven drivers did not have their HC/PH licences with them. These checks were carried out at the time to ensure they had the correct licences in place and to confirm their identity.

The DVSA issued a prohibition for a minibus licensed as a public service vehicle. A further delayed prohibition on a licensed taxi was issued due to defective brake pads.

PHV DRIVER DOES U-TURN ON MOTORWAY SLIP ROAD WHILE RAIN POURS IN MANCHESTER

A PH driver was pulled over in north Manchester after performing a reckless manoeuvre on an M60 slip road in pouring rain.

Greater Manchester Police says the PHV had been driven onto the entry slip road at junction 19, near Heaton Park. The driver then changed his mind and turned the PHV round on the slip road.

He then continued to head in the wrong direction and onto the Rhodes roundabout, between Higher Blackley and Middleton.

Luckily, the driver was able to stop on the roundabout unharmed, despite the risky manoeuvre.

A spokesperson for GMP Higher Blackley and Charlestown wrote on X: “The driver of this private hire decided to turn around... on the J19 M60 slip road! He then drove the wrong way up the slip road to leave the motorway & get back onto the roundabout where he was greeted by our passing @GMPSpecials patrol. Driver reported to the courts.”

CABBBIE CAUGHT DOING 94 MPH ON M20 NEAR FOLKESTONE

A taxi driver was caught by police doing almost 100 mph on the M20.

Following a traffic operation in Folkestone area on October 17, the driver was spotted going 94 mph.

The vehicle was stopped by police after being suspected to be driving carelessly at a high speed on the motorway. The driver was issued with a traffic offence report and his details will be shared with the taxi licensing authority.

Officers and staff had been on patrol in marked and unmarked vehicles including a police motorcycle and a speed camera van.

The one-day operation was led by Kent Police’s road safety unit, who worked with the proactive target team, local officers as well as the DVSA and HMRC.

Sgt Grant Steele from the road safety unit said: “My team regularly carry out traffic operations around the county and on this occasion, we worked with local officers to look into any areas where concerns regarding road safety have been reported in and around Folkestone.”

According to recent data, England’s taxi and PHV drivers are showing a significant take-up of more environmentally friendly fuel options. Although petrol and diesel vehicles made up 77% of the taxi fleet and 53% of the PHV fleet at the end of March 2023, hybrid vehicles accounted for 22% of taxis and 40% of PHVs, while fully EVs represented 0.8% and 6.4% of their respective fleets.

In London, there are now more electrified LEVC TX taxis than diesel TX4s, according to the manufacturer. More than 40% of official black cabs are the TX model, with over 6,000 operating in the capital.

However, drivers wishing to trade in their traditionally powered model for an electric option face several obstacles. First, brand new EVs are significantly more expensive to buy than petrol or diesel alternatives; the TX retails at more than £55,000, compared to around £35,000 for fossil fuel-driven vehicles.

Second, insurers in general, but particularly taxi insurers, are only just coming round to the idea that they will have to insure fully EVs. Hybrid models have been available for a longer period of time and are more established but, up until this year, there was a good percentage of taxi insurers who wouldn’t cover EVs, leaving the customer with fewer options.

This has meant that EVs cost, on average, double the price of a traditional vehicle to insure. At The Taxi Insurer, we have certain Tesla customers, some of whom are experienced drivers with many years of no claims bonus, who are paying twice as much in taxi insurance as they would be for a hybrid vehicle.

A third factor is higher repair charges. The cost of replacement parts for EVs is substantially higher than for traditionally fuelled vehicles, because EVs can’t be taken to any repair shop. They’ve got to go to a specialist and, on many occasions, even back to the main dealer, so labour costs are more considerable.

When insurance companies set up their approved repairer networks in their contracts, they establish an agreed hourly rate. This is often a reduced rate compared to what the customer would pay, because the repairer is guaranteed a certain amount of work over the year from each insurer. But with EVs, insurers have far fewer repair options to choose from and can’t offer those repairers the same number of vehicles to work on.

In addition, there can be major delays, often running into several months, in obtaining EV parts following an accident, with dealer networks unable to even confirm delivery dates for some components. Ultimately, delays in repair time mean higher claims costs, especially in a non-fault incident where the customer is given a hire car.

When the cost of EV claims soars, every motorist is affected as insurance premiums are driven up across the board. Insurance effectively works on the principle that all premiums are placed in a pot and claims costs are paid from that pot. If costs outweigh the amount paid into the pot then premiums are increased.

The final piece of the jigsaw – the EV charging network - remains a major issue. While the number of charging points needs to be increased, positioning them in the optimum locations is just as important. In London the most common areas in which cabbies live in the capital are Tower Hamlets, Newham, Brent, Redbridge and Greenwich; but the boroughs with the most chargers are Westminster, Kensington & Chelsea, Hammersmith and Fulham, Wandsworth and Richmond.

Of course, if they’re lucky enough to find a charger during the working day, drivers are then losing both time and income while their vehicle is being replenished.

Will the lot of the EV driver improve as time goes on? We expect it to, as the government has committed to all new cars and vans sold in the UK being zero-emission by 2035. This means that the traditional motor mechanic will have to become more specialist and learn to respond to market forces and demands.

We should also point out that the majority of the insurers we use for taxi insurance are happy to accept fully EVs and we continue working closely with them in order to make premiums as affordable as possible. So, if the current situation remains challenging for EV cabbies, the long-term outlook is positive.

ANGRY CABBIES PROTEST AGAINST WEST NORTHANTS COUNCIL’S CONTROVERSIAL NEW RULES

Around 100 angry cabbies protested in Northampton town centre on the morning of Tuesday 3 October, against a controversial new set of taxi and private hire rules drafted by the council.

The App Drivers and Couriers Union (ACDU) has criticised West Northants Council’s (WNC) Draft Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Policy 2023, which was set to be voted on by WNC.

The ACDU has strongly condemned what they describe as “reactionary, racist, and regressive” regulations.

WNC said it would issue a statement following the meeting.

In a last ditch attempt to get the council to listen, drivers who are members of the ACDU, met at Victoria Car Park at 11am and marched down the Drapery and protested at the steps of The Guildhall.

Many held signs saying, ‘Shame on West Northamptonshire Council’, ‘Stop Discriminatory Policies for Drivers’, and ‘Stop Racist Policies’.

The ACDU say that despite months of consultations and multiple in-person meetings, the council has ignored the substantial feedback provided by the ACDU and drivers.

The union’s chief concerns with the policy are as follows:

• Demands by the council that licensed drivers must secure a ‘certificate of good conduct’ from every country they may have lived for more than 90 days since the age of 18.

• An arbitrary penalty points system where drivers could get points for failing to comply with a dress code or poor punctuality and which turns risk and compliance management into a numbers game but does nothing to raise standards.

• A harsh convictions policy. Drivers convicted for holding a mobile phone, a DVLA 6-point offence, can now lose their private hire licence for five years.

• The council warns they will monitor the activity of licensed drivers on social media in their private time and consider this in licensing decisions. This is an Article 8 human rights violation in that licensees are guaranteed the right to a private life.

• The council is demanding higher standards from private hire drivers than the elected councillors demand of them-selves in their own code of conduct.

• The council has failed to conduct a proper equalities impact assessment.

Shafqat Shah, Chair of ACDU Northampton said: “I am bitterly disappointed that the council has chosen to disregard the considered feedback of our union’s members working in the Northampton area trade.

“The council seems determined to miss a golden opportunity to introduce regulations that could raise service standards, improve safety and raise the living standards of local licensees long exploited in the trade.

“Instead, the council has indulged in populism to dream up an elaborately punitive and racist policy that will ultimately fail to deliver on its objectives for the public while rewarding big business.”

Mr Shah added: “A lot of drivers are worried about this. There will be so many chances where a driver could lose his licence.

“The council wants us to be ambassadors for the town. We’re not going to be ambassadors at this rate if we’re going to be worried about losing our licences.

“Licensing are doing things on their own and not consulting us.”

At the meeting, councillors failed to decide on the new rules following a lengthy debate.

The decision on the policy was therefore deferred to give members more time to consider consultation responses and make any amendments to the draft policy .

The council has not yet revealed when the final decision on the policy will be made.

Mr Shah said: “I am grateful for the common sense exercised by the licensing committee in their decision to defer any vote on the regulations.”

BRIGHTON UBER DRIVERS CALL FOR FAIR FARES IN PROTEST

Uber drivers in Brighton have called for the company to pay them fairly in a protest held near its “greenlight hub” at the County Ground in Hove. They were demanding the firm address its “unfair price policy” and “high trip commission”.

Protesters held placards which said “Uber driving us into poverty” and “share fair, pay fair” and encouraged people to sign a letter to Uber calling for action.

The letter said “unfair fares” had “been affecting us and our ability to sustain a decent livelihood”.

Isaac Aydur, an Uber driver for five years, said the company takes high commissions from each trip and that earnings have not kept up with inflation.

He said: “Despite the increase in the cost of living, maintenance, fuel and insurance, our earnings are dropping. Five years ago, I was earning more for the same trip.

“I’m earning up to 40% less than I used to earn for the same journey.”

Another driver in the city, Ali Omar, worked out that he earned around £50 after working almost all day yesterday. “How am I supposed to live in Brighton, as one of the most expensive places in the country, on that money I earned?,” he said.

Other drivers explained that, even on better days where they earn more, their wages are eaten into by the cost of fuel, car maintenance, tax and national insurance, before even factoring in the cost of rent or a mortgage and other bills.

Mr Omar also criticised Uber’s algorithm, which can assign them a journey with a passenger more than a mile away even when there are drivers closer to them.

“I am polluting more by driving two miles to pick up a passenger when there is already a driver around - where is the logic in that?

“It’s then costing me more as I’m using more fuel,” he said.

PETITION PROTESTS NORTH YORKS COUNCIL’S ABOLITION OF PREVIOUS SEVEN TAXI ZONES

Some taxi drivers have seen their businesses damaged due to the implementation of a single HC zone for North Yorkshire, according to a councillor.

Lib Dem Cllr Barbara Brodigan, delivered a 238-strong petition to North Yorkshire Council’s (NYC) ruling Conservative executive on 17 October, protesting against the abolition of the previous seven zones which covered each former district council area.

Cllr Brodigan said it has resulted in drivers flooding into urban areas such as Harrogate which has left rural areas without taxis.

As part of the petition, residents were surveyed on the impact of the new single zone.

Cllr Brodigan claimed one person was overcharged by £20 because a driver got lost and that vulnerable residents are “wary” of drivers they don’t recognise.

She said: “In Harrogate they are having to find extra spaces due to the influx of taxis. Over supply of taxis in hotspots are leaving rural and market towns empty.”

Despite the single zone already being operational, a report before the executive said there had been a mistake in relation to the abolition of the previous zones.

Councillors were asked in the report to retrospectively confirm their abolition again to provide “emphatic clarity to its position”.

However, Ripon-based Richard Fieldman, who represented 70 hackney drivers, urged councillors to delay the decision.

Mr Fieldman said: “There’s a statutory process NYC has failed to follow. I ask you not to compound a bad situation by passing an illegal position but refer the matter to full council for consideration not just to its executive.”

Cllr Greg White and NYC’s chief legal officer responded that they were satisfied the executive had the right to make the decision.

The executive voted unanimously to confirm abolition of the seven zones and to create the single zone.

ROAD RAGE ATTACK SEES MAN WHO PUNCHED STOKE CABBIE IN FACE GET COMMUNITY ORDER

Aggressive Adrian Jones punched a taxi driver in the face in a road rage attack. North Staffordshire Justice Centre heard that tensions had arisen after the cabbie asked Jones’ partner - who was driving - to ‘move back’.

Prosecutor Suzanne Swindail said the incident happened at 2.30pm in January 2022 when the cabbie pulled up in a narrow street. Another vehicle pulled in ahead of the cabbie’s car. He asked the defendant if he could move back.

“He replied: ‘I am not moving, you move back’. Jones, 37, got out of the car and got close to the taxi driver. The taxi driver said: ‘Are you not moving because this is your country?’

“He thought the defendant was being racist and had more of a right of the road than he did.

“The defendant became aggressive and pushed him around and was punched to the right side of his face. The defendant ran away.

“The taxi driver called the police and went to the hospital where he received 67 stitches to a deep cut in his top lip.”

In a victim statement, the cabbie said: “I had two weeks off work and was not paid”

Jones told police the taxi driver was verbally abusive. He admitted punching him once.

Jones, Stoke-on-Trent, pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm and was handed an 18-month community order including 100 hours unpaid work.

He was also ordered to pay £150 compensation to his victim, £185 costs and a £114 surcharge.

NEWCASTLE THUG BEAT CABBIE CAUSING STROKE GETS 38 MONTHS PLUS EXTENDED LICENCE

A thug caused a PH driver to suffer a stroke after repeatedly punching and kicking him in the street.

Robert Howey was drunk when he got into the PHV without booking. Newcastle Crown Court heard that the driver tried to explain that he had another fare but the 39-year-old wouldn’t take no for an answer.

Neil Pallister, prosecuting, said the victim agreed to take Howey to his mother’s address, but Howey attacked when he got out of the vehicle with him.

He told the court: “The victim followed the defendant to the address but he turned on him saying ‘Do you want a go do you?’”

Howey then repeatedly punched and kicked the cabbie causing him to suffer a bleed on the brain as well as a broken nose and finger.

Mr Pallister said: “The assault precipitated a stroke. He was put to the ground during the violence and couldn’t get up. He was helped by some residents in the street who got the defendant away from the victim.”

The court heard the victim already had a high risk of having a stroke and had suffered “life changing” injuries during the attack on April 3 last year. He was left with weakness in his left leg and arm and poor coordination, leaving him unable to drive.

Mr Pallister said: The assault has made him nervous, paranoid, unable to leave the house without support. He has been diagnosed with PTSD. He said his life had completely changed. He couldn’t support his family, he just felt like a waste of space.”

Howey, from Walker pleaded guilty to grievous bodily harm.

Judge Tim Gittins told Howey that the driver did nothing to provoke what you did, if viewed through sober eyes.”

He told Howey that his actions had precipitated him having a stroke. He accepted that Howey had demonstrated some remorse.

He went on to say: “I accept that you did not know that he was vulnerable to this sort of event. That is the risk you take in attacking someone you don’t know in detail. His life has been turned upside down as a result of your attack upon him.

“Frankly, you are fortunate that you are not facing a charge of fatality.”

Judge Gittins sentenced Howey to three years and two months in custody and a 22 months’ extended licence period - a total sentence of five years.

He also handed him a restraining order against the victim.

MAJOR EXETER LOW TRAFFIC NEIGHBOURHOOD U-TURN ALLOWS TAXIS & PHVs THROUGH BUS GATES

After banishing taxi and private hire drivers from having access through bus gates imposed as part of Exeter’s controversial low-traffic neighbourhood (LTN) scheme, Devon County Council (DCC) has finally relented and will allow them entry within the next few weeks.

It comes after ‘Stop the Block’ campaigners lobbied city coun-cillors and meetings were held with taxi operators in which significant concerns were raised about the safeguarding of vulnerable passengers, some journey fares tripling in price due to long detours and traffic, and drivers suffering violence and abuse.

The amendment to exempt taxis and PHVs within the bus gate restrictions of the Heavitree and Whipton Active Streets scheme - which was introduced on August 3 - is due to come into effect on November 9. The change will also apply to the Wonford Road bus gate near the LTN area.

The change means the council will now have to restart a new six-month statutory consultation period, but previous consultation responses will still be considered.

However, it doesn’t change the end of the 18-month window within which the changes must either be removed or made permanent.

Representatives of DCC, Exeter City Council (ECC) and chair of DCC’S Exeter Highways and Traffic Orders Committee (HATOC) - which brought in the scheme - met with Exeter taxi operators in September following a declaration by Exeter’s largest PH company, Apple Taxis, that it was considering axing rides within the Exeter road trial zones due to the impact it was having on business.

Graham Hockey, general manager of Apple Taxis, has welcomed the amendment to the scheme but says they will continue to campaign for the LTN to be abolished.

He said: “It has been absolutely horrific since the scheme was introduced. We told the council we would be looking at revoking services in the scheme areas if we did not receive a response from them by a certain date and then the meeting was called.

“We then received an email to say that after our concerns were raised they will allow PHVs and taxis through the bus gates, which is amazing news for us so we don’t need to cut services now.

“Our concerns were around the safeguarding of vulnerable adults and children who use our services and are not able to access them anymore. For example, to get to and from schools, we have calculated that drivers have gone from completing three jobs in a school hour to just one.

“Then there’s also the monetary value of fares which have almost doubled and even tripled. The abuse of drivers has continued and is still continuing to this day, and vehicles have been damaged by angry passengers.

“The detours mean drivers have to take longer routes and traffic is being forced onto two main roads. It is affecting all school runs, not just those in the LTN area.

“The council pay for some of those runs so we pointed out that its bill for them will increase due to the changes made. Maybe that was a bit of a turning point.

“Although we welcome the new access, our main goal is to have the scheme scrapped. It has been a tough battle but it feels like we’re getting somewhere and we will keep going.”

Jonathan Kellaway, of the Exeter St David’s Taxi Association, has also welcomed the change.

He said: “This will help mitigate the negative impact of the LTN on vulnerable children and adults who rely on our services. We look forward to continued dialogue with the highways authority on this and other related issues affecting our trade.”

The council says it has acknowledged the impact of the trial scheme on some taxi passengers, and particularly disadvantaged were those with disabilities, including SEN children who rely on taxi journeys to special schools.

To use the bus gates, hackney and PHVs must display ECC’s mandatory three bus lane stickers.

Feedback regarding the amendment to the LTN will be discussed at a taxi forum meeting on November 21 which representatives from DCC will attend.

An update on the progress of the trial was to be given at a meeting of Exeter HATOC on October 30.

CABBIES SAY LEEDS CITY SQUARE ROADWORKS IS COSTING THEM THEIR LIVELIHOODS

Taxi and private hire drivers in Leeds have said long-running roadworks in the city centre are costing them their livelihoods. Last year, work started to pedestrianise City Square but cabbies say the work is killing business and they’re losing earnings.

Driver Asaf Hussain said whichever direction he travelled in the city centre, he faced a hurdle. “You can pull out of the station and before you’ve got anywhere your meter might be showing over £5. Before this, you used to be able to go right up to the university for £5.”

Work is also being carried out by Network Rail to transform the nearby entrance to the railway station which has involved moving the taxi rank - drivers say this has caused further problems.

Mark Vine, who has been a hackney carriage driver in Leeds for 18 years, said: “If I can’t get around, it’s very frustrating for me, but also for my passengers. We have one road into Leeds city centre and the station, and one road out, and everyone is using it.”

Mr Vine said his income had been reduced by up to 50%, adding: “It’s disgraceful.”

Cllr Helen Hayden, executive member for infrastructure, said she understood drivers’ frustrations. “We’ve put in bus gates to help ease the flow of traffic. Hackneys are allowed through, so that gives them priority along with buses.”

She said there would be future economic benefits for cabbies once the works were completed as more people would visit Leeds.

James Moy, of Leeds Area Improvements at Network Rail, said he understood drivers’ concerns and apologised for the disruption. “We have taken steps to alleviate issues, including using traffic marshals to improve traffic flow through the area. We’re also working with Leeds City Council to review what further improvements can be made.”

INVERNESS CABBIE IS WORRIED AS 20MPH SPEED LIMIT COSTS HIM MORE AND LOSES BUSINESS

A taxi driver has raised concerns about the widespread introduction of 20mph speed limits across the Highlands which he fears will see firms losing business.

The driver, with more than a decade’s experience, says having to drive at slower speeds means he is unable to serve as many passengers in a day as previously.

He also believes slower speeds mean higher fuel consumption which may have to be paid for by raising the per mile cap for fares, potentially putting off customers.

He said: “When the prices of fuel went up we couldn’t make a living as the price cap per mile was set at £1.80, so told the council that we couldn’t make a living and the price was increased to £2.20.

“But due to the 20mph limit introduction, we will have to approach the council again for an increase which might lose me business.”

Dozens of roads across the High-lands have recently seen the introduction of 20mph limits, in a bid to “improve road safety and foster vibrant, active communities across the north west.”

The Inverness cabbie is not impressed, adding: “When I saw that it was introduced I thought it was just stupidity,” he said.

“A taxi driver is a ‘time-ticking’ job, so when the speed dropped to 20mph, I expected to be picking up two or three less customers per day.”

He wants to see a proper consultation held with the public to explain the benefits of the 20mph limits, as well as full analysis of the roads where the new speed limits have been applied to see what difference if any it has made to accident rates.

Duncan Fraser from the Inverness Taxi Alliance, said: “I think they have gone too far with the speed reduction as I don’t see there being any real need for it at the moment.

“I think that the 20mph speed introduction is good for residential areas, but overall I think it is ridiculous on more major roads.”

M2M TAXIBOT REVS UP THE TAXI INDUSTRY WITH A PROVEN TRACK RECORD OF INNOVATION

M2M TaxiBot is delighted to have been shortlisted for the Taxi Summit Awards 2023 in the Innovation of the Year classification. Out of 25 entries for the prestigious award, we are now down to the last six. The event is set to take place on Monday 20 November 2023 at The Troxy music venue in London.

M2M TaxiBot is powered by M2M Omnichannel a division of M2M Data Connect Ltd. What started as an exploration of AI conversational automation has grown into a powerful platform, built from the ground up to help local private hire and taxi operators to transform their customer’s journey.

With our M2M Omnichannel platform, taxi operators can provide multiple booking channels for their customers, such as WhatsApp, Messenger, Telegram, Line, and Website booking.

And M2M TaxiBot is much more than just an AI Chatbot, we provide a complete start-to-finish booking process. Including pay by links to accept fares via credit and/or debit card. Along with talking to an agent, GDPR, business analytics, and much more.

Using our deep understanding and expertise, we collaborate with our proficient technical team to create innovative resolutions for real challenges encountered in the taxi sector. Our ability to develop personalised functionalities that meet specific requirements has established us as a global frontrunner in delivering authentic and comprehensive customer experiences through conversational AI.

In today’s fast-paced world, the transportation industry is constantly looking for innovative solutions to enhance efficiency and reduce costs. The M2M TaxiBot is designed to streamline the taxi booking process by automating it through the use of an AI Virtual Assistant.

By integrating with the M2M Omnichannel Platform, the AI Virtual Assistant can handle multiple taxi bookings simultaneously. As a result, this makes it a highly efficient solution for both customers and taxi firms. This means that customers no longer have to wait for a human operator to manually process their booking requests, reducing waiting times and improving overall customer satisfaction.

Our Enterprise version of ChatGPT offers powerful generative AI solutions that can revolutionise conversational engagement. By training our M2M TaxiBot using your website, documents, FAQs and other relevant data, you can transform your customer interactions.

With the Enterprise version of ChatGPT, your TaxiBot will have in-depth knowledge about your business. It can answer complex questions, provide detailed information, and even guide users through specific processes. Its ability to understand context and generate human-like responses will create a natural and personalised conversational experience for your customers.

If you want to see a demonstration of our WhatsApp TaxiBot, feel free to contact us today on 0161 660 2492 or visit www.m2mtaxibot.com

PASSENGERS BEAT AND ROB OXFORD CABBIE BUT DESPITE DASHCAM FOOTAGE NO ARRESTS MADE

An Oxford taxi driver has been beaten and robbed by three passengers but despite clear dashcam footage of the attack no arrests have been made.

The driver, working for 001 Taxis, pulled his cab over when the passengers were unable to pay the fare.

The distraught cabbie confirmed £170 was taken in the attack which took place on Harebell Road at around 2.30am on Saturday October 16.

Dashcam footage from inside the car shows the driver being continually threatened and repeatedly hit by the attackers.

During the incident, one of the attackers said: “Where is your f*****g money? Give me your money now or I will kill you.”

The taxi driver responds by saying “take it” before pleading for help.

Following the assault, an ambulance attended the driver’s house. He then took himself to hospital due to his head injuries.

He is now waiting for an MRI scan after visiting his GP who has advised him to stay at home to recover and not return to work.

General manager of 001 Taxis, Amir Khan said: “We have CCTV footage which has been passed onto the police and will be working with them to try and catch the people involved.

“We hold the safety of all our drivers and passengers in the highest regard and do everything we can to both mitigate risk, but also deal with any incidents should they occur.

A Thames Valley police spokesman said: “An investigation is ongoing, anyone with information please call 101 quoting the reference 43230462276.”

COLCHESTER CABBIE PUNCHED IN FACE BY PASSENGER WHO SMASHED HIS WING MIRROR

A taxi driver was punched in the face by an “aggressive’ passenger who smashed his wing mirror. The cabbie was driving the passenger home in Colchester when they became “very agitated and aggressive”.

The driver was punched in the face, verbally abused and had his wing mirror broken during the ugly incident at the weekend.

The fare reportedly refused to leave the taxi and so had to be taken back to the city centre where other cabbies could step in to help.

Dave Harris, chairman of Colchester Council’s licensing committee, called for tougher action against nightmare passengers. He said: “The driver reported this incident to the police but sadly he has not had any feedback yet.

“Taxi drivers provide a much-needed service and do not deserve to be treated in this way when in public carrying out their job.

“The days of taking risks when working should be long gone and I condemn any actions against taxi drivers, health workers, bus drivers, police officers and others.”

“As licensing committee chairman I ask that stiffer investigation and action is taken to deter crimes against the taxi trade to ensure the safety of the drivers and their vehicles.

One Colchester cabbie, who has ferried passengers for 20 years, said he feels those working in the trade could be better supported. Speaking anonymously, he said North Station Road has become a particularly troublesome spot for picking up fares at the weekend.

“It is supposed to be a non-drinking road but every time I drive through there you’ve got people drinking in groups,” he said.

“It has left me thinking ‘why the hell haven’t they put any enforcement down there?’.”

However, the taxi driver said incidents of passengers assaulting drivers and criminals damaging cabs have reduced since the start of this year. In January, the Gazette reported there had been an “epidemic” of attacks which included windows being caved in and tyres being slashed.

PAIR APPEAR IN COURT AFTER TAXI STOLEN IN NOTTINGHAM THEN CRASHED INTO ANOTHER CAB

Detectives investigating after a taxi was stolen from its driver during a robbery have charged two suspects. Officers were called to Lower Parliament Street, in Nottingham, at around 11pm on 5 October following reports the victim had been attacked after dropping off two people.

When he asked for payment, the driver was forced out of the vehicle and assaulted before his vehicle was driven away and later involved in a collision with another taxi.

Officers from the force’s Road Crime Team later tracked down the taxi in Clifton and arrested a man and a woman.

Officers suspected one occupant of the vehicle was intoxicated and also found a bag of white powder when undertaking a search.

Jake Sutherland, 28, from Derby, has been charged with robbery. Lizzie Smith, 27, also from Derby, has been charged with robbery, failing to provide a specimen for analysis, failing to stop after a road accident, driving without due care and attention and driving without a licence or insurance.

Both appeared at Nottingham Magistrates’ Court on Saturday 7 October, and will next appear at Nottingham Crown Court on 6 November 2023.

SERIAL WOMAN OFFENDER ASSAULTS CABBIE IN INVERNESS AFTER ROW OVER FARE

A woman abused a taxi driver from the Middle East, a Polish national and a black woman, telling her that she was a racist before swinging a punch and spitting at her victim.

The offences took place between February 2022 and July 2023 after Kimberley Fraser had left voicemails for a former boyfriend which contained a tirade of abuse and threats to him and his new partner.

Fraser, 40, from Inverness, appeared from remand by video link at Inverness Sheriff Court to admit a total of eight charges on one indictment, which originally contained 24 accusations.

They were a contravention of the Communications Act; three of assault, two of hindering police, one of threatening behaviour and another of racist conduct.

Sentence was deferred until November 13 by Sheriff Gary Aitken for a background report and Fraser was again remanded in custody.

The court heard Fraser phoned her ex and left two voicemails threatening to mutilate the genitals of both him and his partner and saying “I’m going to kill you”.

Five days before the second call, Fraser, two men, a woman and a baby were picked up by the cabbie who was asked to take them all to Lochardil Road in Inverness.

Fiscal Emily Hood told the court: “On arrival, a disagreement ensued with the accused over the fare. She was trying to get the pushchair out of the boot.” Ms Hood said the taxi driver warned her he would call the police and she tried to punch him in the face but he blocked it.

“She then kicked his leg and pushed him against the taxi, continuing to kick him until he got around to the driver’s door.

The sheriff then heard of an incident at Burnett Road Police Station in October 2022 when Fraser became abusive towards officers, shouting and swearing incoherently, racially abusing one of the custody suite officers and spitting at police and staff.

Ms Hood narrated another offence in Eastgate Shopping Centre in January 2023 after Fraser was arrested on another matter.

“She resisted arrest but was controlled to the ground by officers but continued kicking out with her legs and trying to spit at officers. In the police van she bit a police officer on the left forearm, penetrating the skin.

“She is known as an intravenous drug user and follow up blood testing had to be carried out.”

In July, Fraser was in an Inverness bar when she joined two people uninvited before saying to one of them: “She’s black.”

Ms Hood went on: “She said she didn’t like black people and said she was a racist. The pair left but Fraser followed and punched the woman in the face and spat at her.”

It’s the month for fireworks, and here in Brighton & Hove there are certainly a lot of fireworks going off at the moment due to the councils proposed ‘Penalty Points System’ that has been sent out for consultation.

A lot of drivers are hitting the roof about this, and some may have good reason, but whilst I will refrain from giving my full opinion, what I can say is that I have nothing to fear.

What is interesting is that it is pretty much a weekly moan about hacks refusing fares at ranks because of the jobs only going a short distance. Even to the extent of a driver who was so fed up with a specific hack constantly refusing such fares that a video was taken and sent in to Licensing.

However, ironically there is a ‘Penalty Point’ clause that would take care of that:

“Refusal to accept hiring without reasonable cause e.g., Drunk, or rude customer - 3/12 points”

Based on the fact that the trade reps have repeatedly asked for the council to conduct a ‘Secret Shopper’ investigation because this is so rife, one would have thought that there would be an inclination to support the Penalty Points System just on this issue.

There is a Penalty Points clause on the appearance of the driver:

“Unsatisfactory appearance of driver as described in the Blue Book”.

For which you can get 3 points. The Blue Book reference to this is:

“The driver shall be clean and tidy in appearance. The driver shall at all times be dressed in a manner not to cause embarrassment to members of the public. Suitable footwear.”

This of course is all very subjective because if we have any drivers who were thoroughbred Scots then of course the traditional attire could be viewed as being a ‘…cause of embarrassment to members of the public…’ when the driver stepped out of the vehicle, if you get the ‘angle’ I’m coming from.

At a recent Penalty Points meeting I had with two licensing officers and two trade representative colleagues, I had to make the comment that I remembered a time when Licensing Officers used to wear suits and ties, which I think went down reasonably well as they were both in very casual attire.

There is actually a serious side to a Penalty Points System in as much as there is absolutely no excuse for a licensed vehicle to have a defective tyre, so I don’t see how anyone could object to that proposal:

“A licensed vehicle with a defective tyre - 3 points”

Another Penalty Point clause states:

“Drivers must not eat or drink whilst carrying passengers - 3 points”

Now, as I consider myself to be a professional driver, there is no way that I would be eating pork pie or supping tea out of a polystyrene cup whilst carrying passengers, and even when I was not carrying passengers. However, this has now been jumped on by drivers who are saying things along the lines of:

“Does that mean I can’t have sip of water when driving?” Boo hoo….and all that.

Well, for one thing, if any driver was spotted swigging from a bottle of Evian on the motorway by your friendly traffic police you could be pulled over for not being in control of a motor vehicle. But realistically, there should be common sense applied, because the average taxi journey is probably around eight minutes, so do you really need to have a sip of water on such a journey?

However, even though I have nothing to fear from the proposed Penalty Points System, I can think of one good reason why it should not be put in place. This is simply because it cannot be applied to the hundreds of out-of-town cars that have flooded the city. This means that whilst I could be penalised with three points for munching on a pork pie whilst driving, Mrs Jones and her dog to the vet, Mr or Mrs Out-of-Town driver could quite happily be knocking back a burger with a customer on board without any fear of comeuppance from Brighton & Hove Council.

It is true however, that the Lewes cars from next door (which swamp the city here) currently have a Penalty Points System in their own conditions of licensing. However, this is utterly ‘pointless’ because there is never any respective Licensing Enforcement to dish out such points!

I know that Lewes has the Penalty Points clause:

“Private hire vehicle parking or waiting on a taxi rank - 9 points.”

But when it’s taken into consideration the amount of times we have complained about Lewes private hire drivers/vehicles that blatantly use our ranks and yet being ‘out-of-sight’ and ‘out-of mind’ of respective Lewes Licensing Enforcement, renders the Lewes Penalty Points System utterly useless!

Anyway, we will have to see what happens in February 2024 to find out if drivers can eat their pork-pies with passengers on board without any fear of getting the three points.

UBER DRIVERS NOT HAPPY

I am very aware of the many complaints that Uber drivers have here in the city against Uber on several issues, although this is mainly about the fare prices that have changed from a percentage system to what is really now a ‘lowest bidder’ one.

Some have been saying that they have been asking their customers what Uber was charging them and finding out that this is considerably more than what the drivers are getting, with claims of this often now being a forty-five per cent difference.

One of the demands that these Uber drivers have put to Uber is that they are calling for a maximum fifteen per cent commission. Do these drivers actually think that Uber is going to agree to this? Do they not realise that Uber can charge the customer whatever the customer is willing to pay and this has absolutely nothing to do with the driver, and what the driver is then paid is up to the lowest bidder?

Anyway, there was enough anger at Uber that there was a call from the drivers to: ‘Switch off the App’ on a certain day.

There was also a demonstration arranged on that day outside the Uber Hub here, which is inside the local cricket ground. One point which I don’t think they realise is that it is well known to most that the Hub is rarely attended by Uber, but I suppose that is just a minor thing for such an important demonstration.

So, we have in excess of five-hundred out-of-town drivers here from various licensing authorities and yet, from reports provided, there was probably less than twenty drivers at the demonstration. This did not surprise me at all, because having been in the trade for over forty years, I can state without hesitation that the cab trade probably has the most apathetic attitude than any other trade, as its always been ‘Someone else will do it’.

However, the most ironic thing about this demonstration is where it was reported in the local paper that the organiser of the demonstration has been “….driving in the city for five years…”.

That may indeed be the case, but I know for certain he ain’t a Brighton & Hove licensed driver!

…and I bet my pork pie and polystyrene cup of coffee on that!

TWO IN HOSPITAL AFTER UBER CRASHES INTO SIDE OF BUSY RESTAURANT IN LIVERPOOL

A number of people are in hospital after an Uber PHV crashed into the side of a busy restaurant.

Emergency services were called to Hanover Street shortly after 7pm on 18 October, following reports of a crash. Once Merseyside Police and Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service arrived at the scene they found two vehicles were involved, with one crashing into the side of Churrasco Steakhouse in Liverpool One.

A total of six people were assessed at the scene by the North West Ambulance Service, with two being taken to hospital for minor injuries. All other passengers and drivers were given the all clear.

A spokesperson from Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service said: “Merseyside Police and North West Ambulance Service are on scene and a Structural Engineer has been requested to assess damage to a nearby building caused by a vehicle involved.

“Following a multi agency meeting, there was no immediate concern to the stability of the building and no concerns on the structural integrity of the building.”

The manager of Churrasco Steakhouse said none of the staff or customers were injured in the incident and they remained open.

UBER COULD BE THE ANSWER AS TAXI CRISIS STOPS PEOPLE VISITING ABERDEEN CITY CENTRE

Campaigners desperate to revive Aberdeen’s Union Street fear its resurgence is being held back by a lack of taxis to take people there.

Queues are often seen snaking along city centre streets as impatient punters await a lift home at the end of an evening out.

And the Our Union Street taskforce is concerned the long-running problem is putting people off even venturing into Aberdeen.

In a newly published document, they say the predicament is “having a negative impact on the local economy”. The taskforce contends that once-controversial proposals to bring Uber to Aberdeen need to be reconsidered.

A new white paper explains that Our Union Street leaders have spoken to local taxi operators in a bid to understand the problem.

The dossier states: “There appears to be a serious under-supply of taxis that seems to have a negative impact on the local economy – especially the night-time economy.”

And the group is concerned that people at the end of a night out, are more likely to engage in antisocial behaviour if they “can’t get away from the city centre”.

Meanwhile, taxi problems are just as severe at Aberdeen International Airport. Our Union Street says it “creates a very negative experience for visitors and damages our reputation”.

The volunteer-led city centre crusaders say there will be “no simple actions”, but “further discussion is needed”. And that discussion, they argue, must involve app-based operator Uber.

Our Union Street wants to “understand” whether an Uber service in Aberdeen would “solve the problem”.

The white paper continues: “All Uber drivers need to be licensed, and we don’t have enough licensed taxi drivers in the city.

“It might be part of the mix in the future.”

Uber was granted a licence to operate in Aberdeen in 2017, but never made it to the city. Two years later, amid speculation the down-turn made it a less attractive proposition, Uber confirmed it wouldn’t be driving the plans forward.

As Our Union Street ramps up its efforts in the weeks and months ahead, bosses have lifted the lid on their five “action areas”.

And one of the main themes they will now explore in the background is: “The impact of more or fewer taxis on our economy and what options are available.”

FRENCH TAXI DRIVERS SUE UBER OVER UNFAIR COMPETITION

Almost 2,500 taxi drivers in France have accused Uber of unfair competition, claiming that the ride-hailing giant’s business has caused them to lose an average of €9,300 each per year.

A trial kicked off on 13 October, in Paris, with cabbies demanding €455 million from Uber. The drivers say they represent 8% of the total number of taxi drivers in the country and are supported by nine taxi unions in their case.

It is one of many legal wrangles that Uber has had to grapple with since arriving in France in 2011.

In 2020, France’s Supreme Court ruled in favour of a former Uber driver, who claimed he should be considered as an employee of the company, not a freelancer.

Based on that 2020 ruling, the taxi drivers in this trial allege that Uber is refusing to apply French labour laws, and benefits from unfair advantages.

They are subject to more restrictive rules than those holding freelance status, the taxi drivers claim.

“We intend to prove that Uber put in place a system where unlawfulness is an operational principle, a system where violating the law is used as a means to destroy the market, at the expense of competition,” the taxis drivers’ lawyer Cédric Dubucq said.

Beyond their own assessment of an average annual loss of €9,300 per driver, the complainants are asking for compensation for psychological damage.

Uber said the taxi drivers’ claim is “baseless” and “out-of-date”.

“Over 35,000 drivers use our app to generate revenues. This action is against the interest of an entire sector, as well as drivers who wish to remain independent, just as thousands of independent French taxi drivers,” said Uber.

UBER DRIVER ‘SAVES’ WOMAN FROM RAPIST BEFORE RAPING HER HIMSELF IN FLORIDA

An Uber driver who raped a woman after “saving” her from another sex attack was caught by a webcam viewer 1,600 miles away.

Kerry Gasag, 39, has now been jailed for ten years after he was filmed attacking the victim at a tourist landmark in Florida.

The woman had been victim to a separate assault on a Key West street before the Uber driver stepped in.

The woman told the police that she initially thought that Gasag was her saviour. But, once the victim was in his car, Gasag began bom-barding her with sexual requests.

Videos found on her iPhone picked up the sound of Gasag asking her to have sex. When she refused, Gasag responded by saying that he could have had sex with her in the bushes already.

The victim eventually jumped out of the car in panic, and that’s when the iPhone recordings stopped.

According to the police, a live webcam at the Southernmost Point bouy in Key West was used to piece together the rest of the crime. An emergency services dispatcher who was viewing the camera 1,600 miles away saw Gasag following the victim, and immediately called the police.

The dispatcher said: “I’m actually calling from Boston, this is going to sound crazy, but I’m at work and I have the Southernmost Point cam? I could swear that I saw somebody get raped.”

The webcam footage showed Gasag put his hand over the woman’s mouth to silence her, before dragging her behind the buoy.

A few minutes later, the video shows the woman emerge half-dressed, stumbling and then running away. Gasag appears immediately zipping up his shorts and then driving away.

The police report said that Gasag was “clearly identifiable” in the video, but it took police two years to find and arrest him.

The woman’s first attacker was named as Jorge Calderon Nunez, 32 who is currently in a jail on a bond of $225,000. He was due to appear in court at a later date.

In this month’s addition we focus on the topic of drink driving. I’m sure most would agree with disqualifications for those who drink then intentionally drive, putting their life and others at risk. But with a lot of prosecutions that’s not always the case. Many people accidentally commit an offence, the consequences of which can be grave - drink driving carries a minimum 12-month disqualification, potentially longer depending on the reading, and in serious cases community orders or prison.

Below we outline different ways in which offences can be committed and give advice on how to avoid committing them.

Q I went for drinks with friends on Sunday. I was working Monday morning so stopped drinking at 1am. I have school runs so was up early on Monday. The police pulled me over as I was swerving. I failed the roadside test as I blew 68. At the police station I blew 46 and 47 and now I’m due in court. I felt fine to drive and can’t believe I’ve done this. Can I plead exceptional hardship and keep my licence?

A For that reading you will be looking at a minimum 12-month disqualification, although you would be given the option to complete a drink-drive rehabilitation course to reduce the disqualification by 1/4.

The law does not allow for people being caught the morning after. If you’re over the limit, you’re over the limit, regardless of the time of day. Similarly, hardship arguments do not apply to drink-driving cases. If you plead guilty you will be banned regardless of the hardship caused. A reading of 68 would usually put you at risk of a 17-22 month ban, but the court will consider the readings at the police station rather than the one at the roadside, so this will be 12-16 months - likely 12.

The only way to avoid a disqualification would be to plead not guilty and defend the charge – but on the face of it there is no obvious defence so you would be fishing for a technicality. If you enter a not guilty plea and you lose, you will receive considerably higher fines and costs, and potentially a longer disqualification.

OUR ADVICE: Never to try to count units and work out when you’ll be below the limit. Everyone metabolises alcohol at different rates depending on height, weight, sex, what you’ve had to eat, medication. If you’re unsure if you’re going to be below the limit, it’s better to be safe than sorry and leave it an extra few hours.

Q I’m due in the Magistrates’ Court in September. I’m an Uber driver so I have to drive. It happened in August as I was finishing my shift. A motorbike overtook me and pulled right in front of me. I was angry and I beeped my horn and revved my engine. He stopped, shouted at me banged on my window. He said he was going to call the police. I was very scared and shaken up. I drove home and had a few large whiskies to calm my nerves.

The police turned up at my house an hour later and I had a whisky in my hand, yet they still breathalysed me and accused me of drink-driving. I was arrested and taken to the police station. I told them that I had been drinking at home but they wouldn’t listen. I blew 62. Yes, I was over the limit, but can they even do that if they didn’t catch me drunk behind the wheel?

A Yes they can. Under section 15 Road Traffic Offenders Act, police can assume the amount of alcohol in your body at the time you gave the breath sample was at least that at the time you drove. So they can assume you were drink-driving, even though they didn’t catch you behind the wheel.

But it is a defence to drink-driving if we can show:

1) You drank alcohol after you stopped driving, and

2) You were only above the limit because of this alcohol.

It is commonly known as a ‘hip flask’ defence. The burden is on us as the defence to prove it, so we will need evidence to help us. We can certainly ask for a copy of the police footage from the arrest which should show you with a whisky in your hand, but have you got anybody in the house that can corroborate the fact you were drinking? To prove the second point we may need an expert toxicologist report to work out how much whisky you had and whether you would have been below the limit without it. You will need to enter a not guilty plea at the hearing and get the case listed for trial. We’ll then have a few months to prepare for the trial itself.

OUR ADVICE: If you are involved in any form of traffic incident, whether it be an altercation or a minor collision, never go home and drink. If the police arrive after a couple of hours it doesn’t matter if you have been drinking, the police are still entitled to arrest you and accuse you of drink-driving, and it will be for you to prove in court that you’ve been drinking afterwards.

Q I’m a bus driver and I’m facing a charge of “being drunk in charge of a vehicle”. I’m not too sure what this means but the police found me asleep in my car after a particularly heavy night after I lost my house keys. It was a Saturday night, the car was literally outside my house and I was waiting for my flatmate to get back on Sunday morning. I wouldn’t have driven until work Monday morning. How can I be prosecuted for drink-driving if I wasn’t even driving?

A Being drunk whilst in charge of a vehicle is similar to drink-driving but is a completely different offence. Being in charge of vehicle means just that, that you were in charge of it. If you were asleep and you had the key on you, it would be difficult to argue you weren’t in charge of it. The offence carries 10 penalty points or a disqualification.

It is a defence if you can show that there was no likelihood of you driving the vehicle whilst being above the limit. So it’s very important that we get a witness statement from your flatmate to prove that he was going to be home Sunday morning to let you in, and also a copy of your work rota to show that you weren’t working until Monday morning. It may also help to get a toxicologist report to prove that by that time, the alcohol would have fallen below the limit. All of this will help to show you would never have driven whilst drunk.

OUR ADVICE: “Drunk in charge” is not a well-known offence and the only advice that we can give to prevent something like this from happening is that if you’ve had any alcoholic drinks, don’t go near your car until you are sure you will be below the limit.

Q I need help with a charge of drink-driving. A few weeks ago I was at the pub with friends who were drinking heavily. I wasn’t drinking much as I was driving home, so when they were getting doubles I was only getting singles.

We had four rounds before I left. When I bought a round I got myself a single, but I’ve since found out that my friends got me doubles. I didn’t notice at the time. I was pulled over by the police on the way home and I blew 45. At the police station I blew 40 and 41 -just over the limit. Is there anything I can do to avoid a ban?

A As you accept you had drunk enough to put you above the limit, it would be right to enter a guilty plea. However, you may have a “special reasons” argument available which is where somebody is guilty but there are special reasons for not disqualifying, e.g. speeding for a medical emergency.

In your case, the special reason would be on the basis of laced drinks based on the fact that the alcohol you knowingly drank would have put you under the limit, and you were only over the limit due to the alcohol you unknowingly drank.

To win we have to show:

1) That your drinks were laced;

2) That you did not know nor suspect that your drinks were laced; and

3) Without the additional alcohol, you would have been below the limit.

Firstly, we’ll need statements from your friends to confirm they bought you doubles without you knowing. Secondly, we need to scrutinise why you did not know. Did you not feel more drunk than usual? Did you not taste the difference between singles and doubles? Thirdly, we will need an expert toxicologist report to ascertain if four singles you thought you drank would have put you under, and whether the only reason you were over was because of the extra three measures.

OUR ADVICE: Another point to consider is that the court will expect somebody to make enquiries of the drinks that they are having. If they are simply given an alcoholic drink without knowing what’s in it, the court will not accept that as a special reason. So if you are on a beer tasting course or at a wedding with welcome drinks, the court will expect you to ask how much alcohol you are having rather than turn a blind eye and simply hope you are under the limit.

EAST KILBRIDE CABBIE REVEALS HOW PASSENGER SAVED HIS LIFE BY MAKING HIM QUIT SMOKING

We came across this article in The Sunday Post, regarding a Scottish private hire driver’s touching story of how one of his passengers motivated him to finally stop smoking after 50 years. If you smoke, then read on for inspiration to quit....

A private hire driver has revealed how a heartbroken passenger saved his life by making him give up a two-packet-a-day addiction to smoking.

Niall Walker, 66, of East Kilbride, had smoked since he was 16 because it looked cool in movies.

“I was chain smoking, so addicted to nicotine that, even if I woke in the middle of the night, I would reach for a cigarette,” he said. “There wasn’t a picture of me without one.

“When a woman passenger saw my smoking paraphernalia in the car, I made the standard quip that I was trying to stop, then she started crying.”

Her husband had recently died from lung cancer, years after she pleaded with him to quit smoking.

The driver, a father of four and grandad to another four children, said: “He had died a few months earlier of lung cancer and she was angry and heartbroken because she had warned him for years to stop. Like all smokers, he never thought he would get cancer.”

And, she told the Lanarkshire taxi driver, the diagnosis came just as they retired and were free to enjoy life, holidays and financial freedom after years raising their children.

Throughout the 14-mile journey from Newton Mearns to Knightswood, the woman sobbed inconsolably. Walker said: “She became very upset and described in graphic detail how he sat her and their two grown-up kids down to tell them he had stage-four lung cancer and had months to live.

“Even at the end of his life he insisted on her taking him outside the hospital in a wheelchair with his bottle of oxygen to smoke.”

As the taxi pulled up outside the woman’s home, he says he had a heartbreaking image of his two youngest children, sons aged just nine and 12, and their reaction if he had to tell them he was dying.

“Like many drivers, I have pictures of my children tucked behind the sun visor, and looked at them realising how selfish I was to keep smoking and encourage cancer. I emptied all my smoking gear into a nearby wheelie bin and swore that, if I loved my children, I would quit now.”

He admits he suffered the most brutal year of his life with nicotine cravings. Only the image of his children crying kept him away.

He said: “One of the reasons I had not quit was that my mum lived to 90 and had advanced dementia. Bizarrely, I thought dying earlier would spare me that, not knowing smoking can cause dementia.”

He says the woman got into his cab some months later and he told her she had probably saved his life. “I gave her a free journey to Knightswood because I felt I owed it to her, not just because of my life but the thousands I had saved on not buying cigarettes.”

About one in eight Scots smokes, according to a report by the Scottish Public Health Observatory earlier this year. The same number of expectant mothers are smokers at the time of their first antenatal appointment, it adds.

“Scotland compares favourably to European Union countries in terms of male adult smoking prevalence, but the position in relation to females is less favourable,” the report says.

While, over the past 40 years, smoking in adults has declined across Britain, it has generally been higher in Scotland than in both England and Wales.

“I had tried giving up some years ago by swapping cigarettes for the occasional cigar but went back to the old favourites,” added Walker. “If you cannot quit for yourself then please do it for your family.”

REVIEWMASTER – NOW AVAILABLE FOR CAB9

WHY ARE REVIEWS SO IMPORTANT TO TAXI FIRMS?

As a taxi firm owner, you know that in order for a customer to book a taxi they must:

1. Know who you are - can you be found in a Google search?

2. Like what you do - do you many positive reviews?

3. Trust in your company - are those reviews genuine and mostly positive?

Being found in local searches is what SEO is all about. There are many factors a marketing firm, such as Taxi Solutions, can help you with, but the biggest thing that affects being found on Google and recommended in searches is reviews.

For taxi firms on Autocab, iCabbi and now cab9 we offer ReviewMaster to get you to the “top recommended” in Google Searches.

THE PROBLEM: NEGATIVE REVIEWS

It’s easy for everyone, yourself included, to focus on the negative reviews, especially when they seem unwarranted or unfair and like a personal attack particularly when you know it can impact your online visibility so heavily. But there’s a right way to handle negative reviews professionally, and no, it’s not deleting them.

It really does come down to that old saying: the best offence is a good defence.

You need to counter the negatives with a solid defence of positive reviews.

Positive reviews matter much more than the negative ones, 72% of all customers will take action only after reading a positive review.

Negative reviews will happen. Even the best companies can’t be all things, to all people, all the time. Errors happen, but the best counter to the negative reviews is more and more positive reviews!

At the end of the day if you handled it correctly then no one will care about, or may never even see the handful of negative reviews, when faced with a 5-star rating on thousands of reviews.

HOW CAN YOU GENERATE 1,000S OF POSITIVE REVIEWS AND MANAGE ALL RESPONSES?

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from Sweden

GIRL ACCUSED OF LURING CABBIE TO DEATH FOR ALLEGEDLY RAPING HER

A Swedish girl of 16 has been accused of luring a taxi driver into a secluded forest and killing him in revenge for allegedly raping her when she was 14.

She and her four brothers, aged between 16 and 18, are on trial accused of murdering the 26-year-old man.

The four brothers deny all charges against them, but the girl admitted that she lured him to the secluded area, thinking he would be beaten up.

The girl allegedly texted the taxi driver, who has not been named, asking him to meet her with a bottle of vodka near a nature reserve in March After the pair met, the four brothers allegedly strangled him and hanged him with a rope noose, Swedish newspaper Fria Tider reported.

Prosecutors said that this was likely to have meant he severely suffered in his final moments alive.

Several search parties were sent out to find the taxi driver, who was only found several weeks later when his car was found hidden in a nearby snowdrift.

Police said they found the defendants’ DNA in the cabbie’s car and on the rope used to hang him.

Records revealed they had transferred money from his bank accounts to their own. Police also allegedly found some of his belongings in their home, the newspaper reported.

Prosecutors in Sweden’s Uppsala District Court said the main motive for the alleged murder was revenge, as the girl had made a report about the driver allegedly raping her in February last year which was not followed up.

The brothers reportedly told several of their friends that they would be killing a rapist, and later told them that they had done so.

Andreas Pallinder, head of investigations at the Uppsala police, admitted that his force should’ve taken the rape report seriously. “If you take it to its extreme, theoretically we could have prevented a murder,” he said at a press conference.

Ebru Tok, a lawyer representing the taxi driver’s family, previously said: “The family is in great sadness and shocked by the unique situation of such young people being suspected of the murder.

“They hope that the preliminary investigation will clarify the circumstances of the case.”

from Italy

CABBIES STRIKE AGAINST GOVERNMENT DECREE ON NEW LICENCES

Taxi drivers in Italy went on strike on 10 October, in opposition to a part of the government’s so-called ‘Asset decree’ that allows local authorities to issue up to 20 per cent more licences in response to an increased demand for taxi services. However, the owners of these new permits must use electric or hybrid cars.

The measure, together with a proposed deregulation of the sector, have once again infuriated taxi drivers from across the country.

Taxi unions, who represent a highly protected sector of the economy, called the strike. Taxi union, Usb, which criticised the decree, cautioned against the potential surge in licences without concrete data.

The strike was organised in major Italian cities, including Rome, Milan, Turin, and Naples, bringing taxi services to a standstill.

In a country where taxi services are an integral part of day-to-day life, this was a bold move by the drivers.

Business Minister, Adolfo Urso, has said the protest is “incomprehensible”, recalling how the unions initially gave the green light to the decree when they were summoned for consultations by the government.

Vice Premier and Minister of Transport, Matteo Salvini, described the strike as the ‘minority of the minority’. He noted that the majority of taxi unions were involved in the decree’s drafting and had offered their criticism and collaboration. This suggests that the strike might not be as widespread or as supported within the taxi industry as it initially seemed.

Meanwhile, consumer advocacy group Codacons, deemed the strike a failure. They claimed that people did not experience any significant disruption from a regular day. This raises questions about the effectiveness of the strike and its impact on the ongoing debate around the decree.

from South Africa

TAXI ASSOC ENTERS RIDE-HAILING AFTER YEARS OF RESISTANCE

The South African National Taxi Council (SANTACO), the country’s largest public transport association, is entering the ride-hailing market it once fiercely opposed. SANTACO-registered metered taxi drivers can now offer e-hailing services through platforms such as Shuma Yo!Taxi, and Teksi Ride.

SANTACO aims to take on dominant international players like Uber and Bolt in South Africa. After years of conflict with such platforms, SANTACO has formed partnerships with local South African services following extensive due diligence.

Each local partner has geographical strengths, ensuring SANTACO members nationwide can find rides. For example, Shuma dominates in Durban while Yo!Taxi thrives in Johannesburg and Pretoria.

Sibongeseni Shange, SANTACO’s deputy chairperson, said technology is integral to modern public transport, hence the association’s move into ride-hailing. SANTACO also cites safety and accountability advantages over current dominant platforms.

Teksi Ride was founded in 2020 and allows SANTACO-registered drivers to sign up and find passengers. It charges R8.50 per kilometre (37p) with a 20% commission. Teksi vets drivers and passengers for safety and offers panic buttons and a 24-hour call center.

Shange claims many drivers on other platforms have already signed up for SANTACO’s services. Member perks like insurance and healthcare are also incentives over incumbent platforms.

SANTACO ride-hailing aims to shift the landscape from years of conflict. Despite initially being lauded for afford-ability and convenience, e-hailing firms have faced backlash for operating illegally and undercutting traditional cabs. Drivers also protest high commissions.

SANTACO, too, has been accused of mafia-like bullying of competitors. Its transition into direct rivalry with platforms it once wanted banned is an interesting next chapter in South Africa’s ride-hailing market evolution. By leveraging its scale and clout to enter ride-hailing, SANTACO seeks to reinvent the sector to benefit its drivers through competitive local offerings. It’s controversial history adds intrigue as it tries to disrupt the status quo it long fought against.

from India

PAIR ROBBED CABBIE, DRAGGING HIM TO DEATH UNDER HIS VEHICLE

A 43-year-old taxi driver was killed after being dragged by his own vehicle while resisting a carjacking attempt in south-west Delhi’s Mahipalpur area, police said.

A purported video of the incident, which went viral on social media, shows the victim being pulled under the rear wheels of the car in an attempt to save his means of livelihood. He was dragged for around a kilometre, before the body was dropped on the side of a road.

Police Commissioner, Sagar Preet Hooda, said Mehraj Salmani, 33, and Asif, 24, were arrested the next day.

“On interrogation, the accused said they had boarded the taxi and threatened and pushed the taxi driver out of the car with the intention of robbing the vehicle and selling the parts” Mr Hooda said.

The accused have a history of carjacking.

The victim, Bejinder Shah, was the breadwinner of his family of seven, including five children.

from Singapore

CABBIE DRIVES WITH DOG ON HIS LAP: COMFORTDELGRO INVESTIGATING

Cute pooch, but can he drive?

That was the question one on-looker posed when he spotted a ComfortDelGro taxi driver driving on the Benjamin Sheares Bridge in Singapore with a dog on his lap on Tuesday morning, 3 October.

“ComfortDelGro cabbie employs canine to drive?” was posed to Stomp, a local citizen journalist platform.

“I saw this pooch behind the steering wheel of a taxi.”

In response, a ComfortDelGro spokesperson said: “According to the Highway Code, drivers must not be distracted while driving.Pets are also not allowed to distract the drivers. We will investigate the matter.”

POCH TO ROCK AT WEMBLEY: ALLEZ LE FRANCE

A MONTH ON FROM my October column and all my fancies are doing well. The Rugby World Cup has just ended and my predictions included three out of the four quarter-final winners (yes Bernie the Book was strong on NZ defeating Ireland and SA defeating France) and anyone pressing at a whopping 9/2 about the All Blacks winning the whole shebang prior to the quarters had a masterful bet going into the final.

In the Cricket World Cup, yours truly was sweet on New Zealand (10/1) and India (9/4) and I have no reason to jump ship as both look nailed on for the semis. Current odds of 13/2 and evens reflect their chances.

And so to this month.

NFL
With Thanksgiving just around the corner, the Superbowl is hotting up. My main fancy back in September when the season was just about to start, was Cincinatti, but they are going to struggle to win the ultra competitive AFC North in what is proving to be the hottest of Divisions. Still my fanciful selections for an eight timer on the Divisions are all going well (six look home and hosed so far) and now the season is in full swing it is clear to me only four teams can lift the Vince Lombardi trophy. They DO NOT INCLUDE current favourites KCC!!

They are (current odds at time of writing) MIAMI (12/1), PHILLY (8/1) SAN FRAN (11/2) and BALTIMORE(12/1) with preference for one in each Conference of the Dolphins and the 49ers.

UK SNOOKER
Oh, the green baize returns and the first leg of the Triple Crown, the UK Snooker Championship at York’s Barbican theatre at the end of the month. The longer format, especially in the later rounds will suit MARK SELBY and he is a confident pick at Nevis (7/1) and at a bigger price, surely time has come right for JACK LISOWSKI at a whopping 33/1 (half odds first two). Settle down to some precision potting.

SIX NATIONS
Is February too long away?? Are you all rugbied out?

One thing that the recent World Cup has told me is that FRANCE was by far and away the best Northern Hemisphere side and, bar the resilience of South Africa, would be contesting the final as favourites and therefore, before the price contracts, back them now to win next year’s Six Nations. And 6/4 is an unbelievable price especially as they play three games at home including Ireland and England, their two biggest threats. This is a maximum bet from myself and needs to be taken now

CARABAO CUP
England’s first domestic football trophy has reached the last 16 and no Man City!! So who has the will, the resources and the commitments to succeed??

Let me delve further. Who is NOT in Europe, has a large squad, one of the elite and who needs a return on their investment??

One name stands out... CHELSEA, and at 11/2 the club is great value especially as it has an easy last 16 tie, with no disrespect to Blackburn. And remember it’s not how you are playing now, it’s how you are playing come February and surely the Champions League knockout stage is going to take preference over the Carabao Cup for Arsenal, Man Utd or Newcastle and the Europa for Liverpool and West Ham?

Back with confidence at a workman’s price.

SPOTY
And finally to Sports Personality of the Year, where come December the annual outstanding individual achievement is given out. And looking back on the year, what was truly memorable? Not our footballers, maybe Stuart Broad for forcing a tie in the Ashes, maybe Mary Earps for standing up for women’s football goalie shirts over the might of Nike and thereby legitimising the importance of women’s sport in the oh so correct 2020s ... or just maybe a true global phenomemenen, who is bowing out after a stellar year of success over success over success. So what if he’s not English (does that debar him?), so what if he continues to rewrite the rules, so what?/ He is 12/1 in the betting (and that’s your last clue) over Man United’s goalie (at Evens)...I say one last hurrah for FRANKIE DETTORI who above all else has transcended his sport in much the same way as Muhammed Ali did 50 years ago.

Until next time

Good punting…

Bernie the Book