Private Hire Driver prosecuted after undercover sting found him to be illegally plying for hire

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A Milton Keynes private hire driver has been prosecuted for illegally plying for hire (otherwise known as ‘touting’) and driving without his licence number plate. Muhammad Tahir Mahboob, was caught illegally accepting jobs without a booking by undercover Taxi Licensing Officers from Milton Keynes and Northants Council on September 17 of last year. Further investigations showed that Mahboob’s vehicle was not only without a correctly displayed number plate, but was also uninsured. Mr Mahboob was fined £259 for invalid motor insurance, £45 for illegally plying for hire, £57 for failing to display the vehicle’s licence plate, given 8 points on his DVLA licence and also made to pay costs of £1,051 with a victim surcharge of £30. Chair of the MKC’s Taxi Licensing Committee, Councillor Catriona Morris said in a report in MKCitizen, that illegally plying for hire and the additional offences Mahboob was found guilty of are all considered “serious”, therefore the local authorities will continue their objective of clamping down on illegal practices within the trade.

September 19, 2018 at 11:01AM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Streets across London will be transformed for communities on World Car Free Day

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The Mayor and TfL are giving people across London the opportunity to make the most of traffic free streets on World Car Free Day, to play, meet, walk, cycle and enjoy.Around 50 streets across London from Hackney to Ealing will be traffic free on 22 September to help encourage people to ditch their cars and reclaim streets from traffic, which will open up spaces to the whole community.By supporting London Play, a charity that works to give children the freedom to play by shutting roads to traffic, streets across the capital will be traffic free for the day.Play streets, where roads are regularly shut to traffic for a few hours each week or month offer more than just a safe space for children to play outside with their friends, they also encourage a sense of community, as well as making sure streets feel friendlier and safer.London Play has been working to transform streets into safe, fun places for children since 2008.Poor air quality is estimated to contribute to more than 40,000 premature deaths across the country each year, with emissions from cars and vans estimated to cost £6bn annually.Supporting streets without cars is part of the Mayor and TfL's efforts to make London's communities greener, healthier and more attractive places to live, work, play and do business.Heidi Alexander, Deputy Mayor for Transport, said: 'I'm delighted that Londoners will be able to enjoy more than 40 streets without traffic noise and exhaust fumes on World Car Free Day.'Our support for London Play will transform neighbourhoods for families and offer a valuable opportunity to inspire long-term change, helping build on our work to reduce reliance on cars and clean up the capital's dangerously polluted air.'

September 19, 2018 at 09:03AM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Council planning on Re-introducing the knowledge test and English exams to crackdown on excessive out of town Taxi and Private Hire applicants

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Greater Manchester's Trafford council chiefs are considering introducing an English language test for all taxi and private hire applicants. The plans are focused on clamping down on the amount of out-of-town applicants that perceive Trafford as an easy route to obtaining a licence. In 2015 Trafford council scrapped the topical knowledge test and the range of acceptable qualifications to prove English skills was also extended. The changes were made to speed up the licensing process, but its now causing problems with the amount of people living outside of the area applying. The current cost of a three-year licence is £432 which includes the price of a training course and DBS check. An increased fee could also be put in place by the council. According to a report in the Manchester Evening News, members of the council’s public protection sub-committee will consider the new proposals on Thursday. Chairman of the Trafford Taxi Drivers Association, Paul Kinsey, welcomes the new plans, saying the council should never have scrapped the local knowledge test in the first place. The MEN also reported that there are plans to provide a dual badge for both Hackney carriage and private hire drivers. No further details have been released.

September 19, 2018 at 06:51AM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI Michael Murphy THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Uber drivers echo taxi drivers and protest over cross border hiring

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In a move which has echoed both the taxi and PHV industry across the country, Uber drivers themselves, have now said enough is enough, and started to protest over cross-border hiring, as well as a myriad of other complaints.

Uber drivers in Leeds descended on the minicab giants office in Burley Road, Leeds, protesting against other Uber drivers from neighbouring Yorkshire towns and cities encroaching onto their licensing area.

Concerns have been raised at the fact that drivers from outside the Leeds area now outnumbering drivers who are licensed in the city, leading to massive over-saturation.

Although every licensing area has its own form of regulation and enforcement, there is nothing in any legislation preventing cross-bordering.

Recently, Uber set up a series of working boundaries, which geo-fenced drivers to specific areas, however rather than restricting drivers to the areas for which they are licensed, Ubers boundaries took in dozens of licensing areas and put them under one umbrella.

The area in which Leeds fall under is categorised as the West Yorkshire Partnership, which incorporates every authority within that boundary, subsequently allowing drivers from outside a given area to still cross-border.

Drivers are also concerned that the situation has caused their income drop below the minimum wage in the UK, with many drivers working in excess of 90 hours a week according to James Farrar, when interviewed on BBC Look North, this is despite Uber putting a limit as to how many operational hours a driver can work in a day.

Other issues pertaining to the protest relate to safety, with concerns raised that some areas have a more relaxed licensing regime, which could put the public at risk. This issue is again directly linked to cross-bordering.

Uber have repeatedly said, qhen questioned over safety, that every driver on the platform goes through an enhanced DBS check and is licensed by a local council.

The cross-bordering issue has left many cities and towns across the UK with toothless enforcement officers, unable to enforce legislation due to drivers being licensed in other areas, and therefore outside of their jurisdiction.

Leeds City Council have said that they are continuing to meet with both taxi and private hire drivers, so as to address some of the issues in the area.

September 19, 2018 at 02:51AM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Passenger drives himself to his destination while his drunk Uber driver sleeps next to him

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A shocked passenger felt that he was left no choice but to drive himself home in an Uber when his driver arrived completely plastered. Uber user Surya Oruganti alleged that his Uber driver arrived to pick him up from India's Kempegowda International Airport heavily intoxicated and in no fit state to drive him to his destination. Instead of ordering another Uber or hailing a taxi, Oruganti chose to take matters into his own hands and drive himself to his destination while the drunk driver slept in the passenger seat. Oruganti documented the bizarre string of events on his phone and posted live on his Twitter account.

Oruganti contacted Uber for support and tweeted a reaction to their response: "Uber safety team promptly called back about 20 hours later. They said I shouldn't drive a cab because that's a safety issue. And that they'll educate the driver whatever that means and might terminate the driver if there's a recurrence".

Uber responded by saying:

“While we take all possible measures to ensure that drivers behind the wheel match the person shown on the app, in rare instances, when this doesn’t happen, we encourage riders to cancel their rides immediately and report the issue on the app.“Upon learning about this incident, the driver profile was removed from the app and we are looking into the matter.”

Sourced: News.comau

September 18, 2018 at 12:38PM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Second taxi driver threatened with knife and robbed near Sittingbourne

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Police in Kent are appealing for help after a second taxi driver was threatened with a knife and robbed near Sittingbourne at the weekend.It is reported to have happened at about 8.30pm on Saturday in Flanders Close, Kemsley, after a man had called to book a taxi from the area.The victim had knocked for the man when he appeared from nearby and told the taxi driver the call was for him.

As both men got into the taxi, the man pulled out a knife and used it to threaten the taxi driver.The victim quickly got out of the car and locked it with the man still inside.The suspect then kicked out the front passenger window before climbing through it and running off with the driver's wallet. He ran out of the close and towards Ypres Drive, in the direction of the train station.The suspect has been described as a white man, about 5ft 10ins and wearing black baggy trousers, a dark long sleeved baggy top and a white scarf with blue stripes, which was covering his head so only his eyes were visible.

Officers are connecting this to a previous robbery, in which another taxi driver was threatened with a knife and robbed.This was reported to have happened between 10.30pm and 10.40pm last Wednesday in The Meads Avenue in Quinton.The driver was robbed of cash after a man had booked a taxi.The suspect had been described as white, stocky, about 5ft 10ins and wearing a grey jumper, dark grey jogging bottoms and a black scarf, which was covering most of his face.He was also wearing a pair of gloves and the hood to his jumper was pulled up.Anyone with information should call police on 01795 419119, quoting crime reference XY/58943//18.

September 18, 2018 at 10:22AM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Taxi driver avoids jail after ramming his vehicle into man who refused to pay fare

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A taxi driver from Bangor, Northern Ireland, has been spared jail time after he drove his taxi into an un-paying passenger, breaking his wrist. William David McFarland, 57, was at the front of a taxi rank in Bangor’s high street when Alan McMullan, who was clearly intoxicated, jumped the queue and entered his taxi. On arrival to his destination, close to Bangor Football Club, McMullan refused to pay the full fare, stating that he would only pay “a small amount”. The court heard that McMullan then walked off without paying anything that was owed for the journey. McFarland then drove his taxi directly at McMullan, breaking his wrist and causing bruising to his lower back and knees. McFarland was later identified by his victim and was arrested and interviewed by the police, according to a report in the BBC. Judge Piers Grant, of Downpatrick Crown Court, accepted that the passenger was “clearly intoxicated” and that his behaviour was “extremely poor” but there was no excuse for McFarland to use his vehicle as a weapon to cause injury. Grant told McFarland in court that his situation was “a disastrous set of behaviour circumstances of your own making because behaviour like this is simply and utterly unacceptable”. McFarland was sentenced to 100 hours community service and two years probation. He was also banned from driving for five years and ordered to pay a £400 fine.

September 18, 2018 at 07:40AM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI Michael Murphy THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Are private hire driving standards putting peoples lives at risk

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It seems as though that a day doesn't go by without private hire vehicle being flipped over or being involved in some kind of accident.In the last week, in London alone, we have seen four either on their side or on their roof.Add to the fact that, unbelievably, we have also seen a PHV driving the wrong way around Hyde Park Corner, into oncoming traffic, as well as two private hire drivers ending up in the North Sea after one got caught out trying to drive along the causeway at St Marys Lighthouse in Tyne and Wear, and in the same area another driving off of a jetty, questions now have to be asked as to how this situation has not just been allowed to emerge, but also why it has been allowed to exacerbate.Drivers make mistakes, that is an unavoidable fact, there is however a difference between a mistake and incompetence behind the wheel.Obviously it needs to be recognised that not every accident is a PHV drivers fault, and it must be acknowledged that there are some very good PHV drivers on the road, but there is a clear problem.Up until recently prospective taxi drivers had to pass an enhanced driving test. This test was scrapped by the DVLA in December 2016, allegedly due to the knock-on effect, creating a backlog within the testing regime for private motorists. Surprisingly no testing regime has ever been put into place for the PHV industry. This may answer some of the questions as to why so many PHVs seem to be making some seriously dangerous mistakes, which include life threatening ones.Driving a taxi or a private hire vehicle is very different from driving a car, the continued concentration level is draining, especially when you have gone beyond eight or nine hours, but nevertheless that level must remain high, one cannot simply "switch off." This is a discipline that is not afforded to every private hire driver. That in itself does not make the person a bad driver, it just means their concentration level is not durable enough for the job, thus mistakes ensue.This is not something which can be taught, you either can or cannot continually concentrate consistently over a long period. This applies to taxi drivers and bus drivers as well as private hire drivers.What has to be accepted is that when you combine a lack of concentration with a lack of an intimate familiarity of any given area in which you are working on a daily basis, you are then asking for trouble. There is absolutely no excuse for a vehicle to be travelling around Hyde Park Corner into oncoming traffic, nor entering the Limehouse Link via the eastbound exit when travelling westbound, thus having to turn around inside the tunnel (something which i have personally witnessed on two occasions).

It is distinctly possible that the drivers of the private hire vehicles described above were attempting to follow their satellite navigation equipment, and failed miserably, again that is no excuse.There is also an argument to say that many are completely unfamiliar with the road networks because they simply havent been driving in the UK long enough, and as a result drive highly erratically.In June of last year i spoke to both Caroline Pidgeon and Wes Streeting regarding the lowering of driving standards and the lack of a replacement to the DVLA test, as well as the lack of any sort of testing for potential private hire drivers. They were fully supportive of the introduction of an enhanced driving test for potential PHV drivers, as well as a re-introduction of the driving test for taxi drivers. This was also echoed by Mayor Sadiq Khan. As yet we are no closer to seeing any sort of test implemented. This is an issue which Secretary of State for Transport, Chris Grayling, could deal with fairly swiftly by simply identifying an organisation capable of mirroring the DVLA test, and then making the relevant ammendment via secondary legislation to the 2015 Deregulation Act, allied to TfL emulating this in the 1998 private hire act. The Hackney Carriage Act would not need to be altered as legislation is already in place pertaining to an enhanced driving test. This however seems to be a bit of a governmental blind spot with Chris Grayling seemingly procrastinating over this issue. This in itself is quite alarming, given that there is a clear public safety issue here.Ultimately pressure now needs to be applied across the board to facilitate safer driving. There is no use making junctions and roads safer, or lowering speed limits if the person behind the wheel is of a poor standard as a driver.

September 18, 2018 at 01:27AM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

TaxiPoint Q&A: Mishcon de Reya talk more on the Cabbie Group Action against Uber

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Richard Leedham is a Partner at Mishcon de Reya, the London law firm leading Cabbie Group Action, the claim on behalf of Licensed Taxi Drivers against Uber. In this article, he answers some questions about the claim.What's the case all about? We want to bring a claim in the High Court of England and Wales on behalf of licensed taxi drivers in London against Uber. The claim is based on the loss of income we know so many drivers have suffered as a result of Uber's unlawful operations since they came to London in 2012. Many have criticised the case because they say the black cab trade have failed to modernise and that Uber's success is just an example of lawful competition.

The claim isn't about stopping Uber operating or based on complaints around uncompetitive behaviour. Competition on price, innovation, service and quality is a positive thing. What it is about is holding Uber to account for what we believe are their unlawful operations since 2012. We believe they failed to adhere to the statutory framework which regulates the London taxi trade and this has been to the detriment of licensed taxi drivers that have been operating lawfully. Uber should not be able to get away with this and Cabbie Group Action aims to hold them to account.How did the claim come about? How did the action group begin? Who initiated the original idea? London is renowned for its iconic black cabs and, given the allegations of Uber’s unlawful operations in a number of places, it was only a matter of time until Uber’s activity in London came under scrutiny. The team at Mishcon researched the issues involved and discussed them with key stakeholders in the London cab trade. I have experience in working on large multi party claims and we identified that the case would work well as a group action. I also regularly work with third party litigation funders, such as Harbour Litigation Funding, and together we established Cabbie Group Action.

What is Mishcon's role and who will make decisions about the case?

Mishcon will act as the lawyers on the claim. At the moment we are focusing on building support for the claim through Cabbie Group Action. We want as many drivers as possible to hear about the claim and register their interest through the website. We will then provide enough information to those drivers for them to decide whether they want to proceed with the claim, the first part of which will be to become a client of Mishcon. This is called the "book building" phase.

Once this phase is complete, a representative committee of drivers will be formed to take decisions about the claim and give instructions to Mishcon on behalf of the group. In actions such as this, where this is such a large group of claimants, representative committees are very common. We will provide details to all interested drivers on how the committee will operate in due course.

Who is Harbour?

Harbour is a leading litigation funding firm. Harbour will be funding the group action, subject to a minimum number of drivers signing up, and will pay all of the legal costs in return for a share of any damages received. It means cabbies will not have to pay their own legal fees. If the group action is not successful, it also means they won’t have to repay Harbour. It is only when there is a win, and damages have been received, that Harbour will get a pre-agreed share of the award.

Why are you taking action against Uber, rather than TfL? Don’t TfL carry the blame for what has happened?

Cabbie Group Action focuses on Uber's alleged unlawful behaviour between 2012 and at the least the end of 2017. We completely appreciate the trade's frustration towards TFL, but this action is focused on Uber's unlawful activities.

The separate group action proposed by the UGC shows the strength of feeling that exists in the taxi trade on this issue. Cabbie Group Action benefits from a focused and streamlined approach which we consider has the best chances of addressing the damage that has been caused by Uber's unlawful actions. A legal finding that Uber has operated unlawfully should force the regulator to come to the correct conclusion over Uber's suitability to hold an Operator's license. Cabbie Group Action is a fully funded claim with no costs to the drivers themselves. In only six weeks our Cabbie Group Action campaign has already signed up almost a third of the entire fleet of taxi drivers in London and continues to add sign ups on a daily basis. With legal counsel from Mishcon de Reya, who have an enviable track record and financial backing from Harbour Litigation Funding we believe we can have a real impact for taxi drivers.How many drivers do you need to sign up and what kind of compensation will they receive?

We want as many drivers as possible to be part of the claim and have been really encouraged with the numbers that have signed up so far. It is too early to tell what level of compensation drivers are likely to receive: as we collect data from participants we will be able to more accurately and robustly estimate the loss attributable to Uber's unlawful operation.

Can drivers who have not suffered a loss financially, but worked more hours to achieve the same income, make a claim for losses?

At this stage, we need to gather as much evidence as we can in order to put together the best possible case, this includes a drop in earnings as well as having to work longer hours. If you have suffered a negative impact in either of these ways from Uber’s unlawful operations, you may be eligible to take part.

How confident of success are you?

We wouldn’t be working on this if we didn’t think that the claim against Uber was a good one. While nothing is certain, we have significant experience in group litigation. In recent years we have acted successfully for claimant groups in cases involving RBS and Royal Mail.

Does this group action stop any future legal cases against both Uber and the regulators? This group action only relates to the period between 2012, when Uber entered the market, and the end of 2017. It does not prejudice any future legal cases against Uber outside of this period or which relate to different facts. It is also separate to any action against the regulator.If Uber offer to settle outside of court, who accepts/rejects the offer? The representative committee mentioned above will take decisions about the conduct of the litigation, including whether to accept or reject a settlement offer.What is the next step? The book build phase, during which we hope to sign up as many drivers as possible, is ongoing. Those who have expressed an interest will be hearing from us soon regarding how they sign up as a client of Mishcon de Reya and will receive further information about how the claim will work and what it will involve.What roles do the trade stakeholders backing this action play in the group action? Is there any financial incentive for them to be involved? We are delighted that so many stakeholders in the cab trade, including TaxiPoint, have been supportive of the group action. They play a key role in encouraging cabbies to sign up to take part. None of the trade stakeholders are receiving a financial incentive in exchange for their support. They are backing this because Uber should be held responsible for its actions.

So how do I sign up?

The best way to sign up to express your interest is by visiting www.cabbiegroupaction.co.uk

September 17, 2018 at 04:54PM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI Perry Richardson THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Super Cycle Highway flagship route has cost taxpayers“£62,000 for every extra cyclist attracted”

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The flagship Super Cycle Highway running from Tower Hill to Lancaster Gate has cost taxpayers on average £62,000 per extra cyclist attracted according to an LBC report.

The East-West cycle route was Boris Johnson’s flagship bike project during his time at City Hall as London Mayor.

The cycle route displaced already congested roads which has put further strain on the capital’s roads and increasing journey times for motorists. The project cost £47 million and was "designed to encourage the large numbers of people who would like to cycle, but currently feel unable to."

However, according to London radio station LBC, the success of the East-West route has been underwhelming with only an average of 4,744 cyclists per day choosing to use the route.

Since 2014/15 there has only been an increase of 754 riders each day. This equates to the £62,000 figure attributed to every additional cyclist attracted to the route.

Steve McNamara, General Secretary of the LTDA said: "This cycle lane has been an absolute disaster for London. It was put in the wrong place at the wrong time."If you go down to the cycle lane outside of rush hour, there's nobody on it. It's a ghost town and that just reinforces the problem with it."

September 17, 2018 at 10:48AM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Taxi driver who was left with broken bones finally sees justice handed to his attackers

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A taxi driver was brutally beaten by two thugs whilst working a late night shift in Burslem town centre. The victim was left motionless in the middle of the road after being repeatedly kicked and punched by Nikki Pollett and Nathan Hawkeswood. The whole incident was caught on CCTV. A court heard that a group approached the victims taxi as he waited outside the Clayhanger pub. CCTV footage showed the taxi driver step from his vehicle moments before Mr Hawkeswood appears to push him to the ground and kick him. Mr Pollett is then seen kicking the victim before repeatedly punching him while he lay defenceless on the ground. Footage then shows the two attackers walking off while their victim remained lying on the pavement. The two thugs were found and arrested a short time after the assault which took place at around 2am on November 26 of last year. The victim was left with fractures to his right eye socket, his nose and his left cheek bone, along with two broken teeth. A footprint mark was also left visible on his forehead. The taxi driver who had just recently had a newborn child with his wife was left in no fit condition to work or help her with the early upbringing of their child, according to a victim statement. Judge Paul Glenn sentenced both men at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court after they pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm. Pollett, who has a previous conviction for assault, was sentenced to 18 months in prison. Hawkeswood, who had no previous convictions and had shown genuine regret and remorse, was given a 12-month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months, with a 35-day rehabilitation activity requirement. He was also ordered to complete 200 hours of unpaid work and pay £3,000 compensation to be paid off monthly.

September 17, 2018 at 10:05AM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Hailing a life saver; why some cabbies are now carrying defibrillators

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Paramedics have taught cabbies to perform cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and fitted their black cabs with defibrillators as part of a six-month pilot scheme in partnership with the Licensed Taxi Drivers’ Association.

At the launch of the partnership, Steve McNamara, General Secretary of the LTDA, explained: “This scheme came about because taxi drivers wanted to make a difference. They help people all day long and take great pride in our city, and this initiative takes us that bit further. Cabbies already go the extra mile to help look after Londoners, but this life-saving training is already making a big difference, giving them the confidence, skills and equipment they need to act in a medical emergency.”

London Ambulance Services’ Lynsey Grant was the training officer responsible for making sure the drivers knew what they were doing. “We’ve trained 30 drivers in life-saving techniques and 15 of those now have defibrillators in their cabs. All the drivers have downloaded the GoodSAM app alerting them to a medical emergency while the ambulance is still on its way,” she said. “The drivers were such an enthusiastic bunch and I really admire them because they were taking a day out of their work in order to train to help people. Taxis are not going to take the place of ambulances but these trained drivers can still do so much before the ambulance arrives. Doing something, such as chest compression, is always going to be better than doing nothing at all.”

In the case of cardiac arrest every minute counts. The chances of a person surviving a heart attack decrease by about 10 per cent for every minute lost before they are treated. More than half the patients who are defibrillated by members of the public before the arrival of ambulance crews survive to be discharged from hospital.

Cabbie Paul Tippett decided to volunteer because he had had a previous experience when someone collapsed on the street and he didn’t have the basic knowledge to be able to help. He thinks it is an amazing scheme and is hoping it will be rolled out to more drivers in the future.

Fellow cabbie, Dave Mailes adds: “By the very nature of what we do as taxi drivers, we tend to be where there are the most people, so if we can save one life I think that’s a family that isn’t shattered. Our training has been wonderful. Even though it was light-hearted there were people there passionate about wanting to make a difference. Now that we’re trained it gives us the confidence to think “yes, we can do this” because we’ve already done it so many times in the classroom.”

The pilot is due to end in October, when a decision will be made on whether to roll out the scheme.

September 17, 2018 at 07:06AM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI OnRoute TfL THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Taxi driver who was caught on camera narrowly missing woman and children at zebra crossing loses licence

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A taxi driver from Middlesbrough who narrowly missed running over a woman and young children when he overtook on a zebra crossing has been fined £1,000 and had his licence revoked by Middlesbrough Council. Yaseen Rehman, 45, was caught on camera speeding past a waiting car while a childminder was halfway across the road with the young children she cares for. Rehman was inches from mowing down the pedestrians and appeared at Teesside Magistrates Court to face charges of driving without due care and attention and failing to accord precedence at a crossing.

(Video: MailOnline. Youtube)

The incident took place outside of a primary school during the morning of April 24. As reported in TeessideLive, Councillor Julia Rostron said that Middlesbrough Council’s taxi drivers carry out an important public service which demands great responsibility towards passengers and other members of the public. She went on to say that the actions of Rehman left them no choice but to revoke his licence, preventing him from continuing work as a taxi driver. Rehman was fined £880 and ordered to pay costs of £151.

September 16, 2018 at 08:25PM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI Michael Murphy THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Ex-Uber exec, Rachel Whetstone, responds to racism claims

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Former senior vice-president of communications and public policy for Uber, Rachel Whetstone, has responded to racism claims, made by Uber's former head of Asian business development, Eric Alexander according to The Times

Ms Whetstone, who is being sued by her former colleague, has issued a strong denial against all of the allegations made against her.

Eric Alexander was fired by Uber in the wake of a passenger being raped by an Uber driver in India. It was discovered that Alexander had obtained the victims medical records after the rape had come to light.

Eric Alexander instructed his legal representatives last week to file a suit against Ms Whetstone.

Mr Alexander has claimed that he was an innocent party who had been on the receiving end of a personal vendetta by Ms Whetstone, after castigating her in public for allegedly making racist remarks.

Rachel Whetstone is no stranger to controversy after questions had been asked regarding her close ties to David Cameron, as well as other members of the Conservative Party, along with links to both The Institute of Economic Affairs and The Adam Smith Institute.

September 16, 2018 at 05:07PM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Mayor of London drops in popularity according to study

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Increasingly fewer Londoners believe that the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, is doing a good job, according to the latest poll conducted for the Mile End Institute at Queen Mary University of London.

Under half (44 per cent) thought the Mayor was doing well compared to 52 per cent in April 2018. Almost as many, 40 per cent, think he is doing badly, a rise of 10 percentage points since April.This results in a net score of +4, the lowest since Queen Mary’s Polling London project began.

Philip Cowley, Professor of Politics at Queen Mary and Director of the Mile End Institute, said: “In April 2018, Sadiq Khan was still ahead among those aged 50-64, working class Londoners, those living in outer London and white voters. He’s now behind among all of these groups”.He added: “When we first started polling, he was one of the most popular politicians in Britain. Such was his cross-party support, he even had net positive support from Conservative voters. Those days are long gone”.Roger Lawson from the Alliance of British Drivers said: “The Mayor’s policies such as ULEZ will particularly affect those groups where his rating has been declining most sharply. Folks are waking up to the Mayor’s attack on all forms of private transport – not just cars but motorcycles, PHVs (minicabs) and taxis and the costs that they will incur as a result.“Other contributions have probably been his mismanagement of Transport for London’s budget which is heading for a massive deficit and has been focussed on by some politicians, and his record on tackling rising crime levels in London has also been criticised.

“Similarly, his record on housing is no better than his predecessor and very different to what he promised. His promise to freeze public transport fares and improve public transport which he made to get elected have been shown to be mistakes or unachievable. Surely the apt quotation here is “You can fool all the people some of the time, and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time” (Abraham Lincoln). Voters are now becoming disillusioned with the Mayor as he is seen to be good at rhetoric and photoshoots with children but bad at actually managing the metropolis.“London needs a Mayor who does not just spout fine words, but can actually tackle London’s problems and get them solved.”

September 16, 2018 at 04:44PM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Are New York cabbies lives about to made easier or more difficult as the City Council mulls over new proposals

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Could New York's beleaguered cabbies may get another boost from the city council? A raft of new bills will be heard, aimed at assisting both the New York taxi industry as well as a Uber drivers.Of the City Council’s for-hire vehicle committee's nine proposals which are under consideration, The Corey Johnson proposal which would add a surchage onto both taxi fares as well as jobs taken on ride-hailing apps Uber and Lyft stands out.Any monies raised from the surcharge will be put into a fund to assist drivers in paying for health insurance cover.At present there is an 80 cents surcharge added to all taxi fares, 50 cents of that figure goes to funding the MTA and 30 cents goes toward helping pay for wheelchair accessible vehicles (WAVs).A $2.50 surcharge will begin next year if a fare is taken below 96th Street in Manhattan.Whilst some taxi drivers see this as a positive move, there are others who are less than impressed, with drivers who already have health cover concerned that it will just become another way of "milking" the industry.Other bills which are under consideration are plans to create a system which may help financially assist taxi medallion owners.Another proposal is a bill to stop companies such as Uber and Lyft from taking money out of drivers pay to cover debts.The list of proposals will be heard on Monday.

September 16, 2018 at 11:54AM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Uber drivers admit manipulating app to raise fare prices

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An investigation into fare boosting practises by Uber drivers has been slammed by tech experts who say they are “shocked that Uber allows this to happen.”

The Daily Star Sunday found that drivers “rig” prices to inflate fares and pocket cancellation fees by not bothering to pick up clients – who then cancel the request.

Drivers admitted they were manipulating the app to boost their earnings, with one member of staff saying they worked together to push up demand and create a “surge price” where the fare can be doubled or even tripled.

“Drivers basically hack the app so their location is hidden. That means the app thinks there aren’t many cabs available in the area, so the surge price rockets.

“Then they reveal their location to book a fare and wham, they get three times extra money.”

But Fareed Baloch, a taxi expert who works in technology for zoom.taxi, said the blame actually lay at the feet of Uber, who are behind the technology used by drivers and passengers.

“With the massive engineering team behind Uber’s technology, it is beyond understanding how they have left loopholes in their driver app – which is what allows this deception to happen.

“But if they are aware of the loopholes that means they must turn a blind eye to allow their drivers to benefit and of course this means Uber in turn makes more money from commissions.”

The discovery will raise questions after a judge at Westminster Magistrates Court ruled that Uber was a ‘fit and proper’ company after its managers said that “wholesale changes” had been made following Transport for London’s refusal to renew its operator license last September.

Mr Baloch said the discovery “raised yet more doubts about the decision to award Uber a license in London.”

“The short term license was granted because Uber pleaded in court that they had changed. Well, I believe that many people would question whether having a piece of technology that allows what is essentially fraud to take place makes them a ‘fit and proper company’.

“Uber has put many private hire companies out of business because consumers thought they were ‘easier’ and ‘cheaper’. I hope potential passengers now look to local, reputable companies when they need to book a vehicle.”

September 16, 2018 at 06:57AM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

London Black Taxi drivers help tackle knife wielding moped thugs during late night mugging of woman

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Most of us may say that if a dangerous incident was unfolding in front of our eyes we would step up and intervene, but it can be a whole different ballgame in the heat of the moment.

Thursday night, knife wielding muggers on a moped attempted to rob an incident woman of her necklace in Marylebone, London. The woman’s boyfriend reacted to the attack by fighting back, eventually tackling one of the men to the ground.

Struggling to contain his attacker, the man screamed for help. A number of innocent bystanders jumped to his aid, including London black taxi drivers who were passing the commotion.

The dramatic footage can be seen on a clip filmed by London taxi driver Mark Parker.

Even local residents who heard the screams from their homes ran outside to assist holding the robber down as he fight to escape their clutches.

Reports suggest that the police arrived on the seen to detain the mugger within 5/6 minutes.

A large kitchen knife was found at the seen along with the victims necklace which must of came loose during the attempted robbery.

Witnesses to the incident said they saw “a couple of taxi drivers and several more people” help pin the alleged attacker to the ground. A total of around 15 people assisted in containing him.

(Image: Twitter)

Scotland Yard has said:

"Police were called at around 10.30pm to George Street, W1, following reports of two males on a motorcycle attacking a couple in the street. "A male and female were reported to have been threatened by the two suspects, one armed with a knife, in an attempt to steal the male's watch. "One of the suspects is reported to have attempted to stab the male victim. "The victim fought back and was assisted by members of the public in detaining the male until police arrived. "Police attended and arrested a 22-year-old man on suspicion of attempted murder and attempted robbery. "Neither the male or female victim were injured. "The male arrested was taken to a central London police station where he currently remains.

"The rider of the motorcycle made off; enquiries are ongoing to trace him."

September 15, 2018 at 02:47PM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI Michael Murphy THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Cabbies Urged to Back Cycling Crackdown

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The widower of a woman killed by a cyclist has urged taxi drivers to back new dangerous riding laws being put forward by the Government.

Matthew Briggs urged cabbies to take part in the consultation, days before another pedestrian was left in critical condition by a cyclist.

Mr Briggs’ wife Kim was killed by Charlie Alliston, who was riding a fixed gear bike with no front brakes when he hit the 44-year-old mother-of- two as she crossed a road in east London in February 2016.

The cyclist was cleared of manslaughter but found guilty of causing bodily harm by “wanton or furious driving” - a Victorian-era law intended for drivers of horse-drawn carriages which carries a maximum sentence of two years.

Mr Briggs has said that the existing laws are “arcane” and wants them up brought up to date.

The new law would see riders facing “death by dangerous cycling” or “death by careless cycling” charges similar to motorists, with a maximum sentence of 14 years.

The widower said: “Could I call upon the fine men and women of the black cab trade to contribute to the consultation on new cycling laws? And thank you for the continued support and kindness you show me.”

In the latest incident, a woman was said to be in critical condition after being struck in Kingsland High Street, in Dalston, on Tuesday, August 28, just after 5pm.

The cyclist initially stopped due to coming off his bike but left the scene a few moments later. A bike was later found abandoned a mile away in Approach Close.

Detective Constable Darren Case, Serious Collisions Investigations Unit, said: “This is a shocking incident as it appears the cyclist involved did not stop to assist the victim or contact the emergency services, instead making off.

A 12-week consultation on whether new offences should be introduced for dangerous cyclists has been launched by the Department for Transport and can be completed here.

September 15, 2018 at 09:46AM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI LTDA THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Private Hire Driver prosecuted for completing around 300 trips without a valid MOT certificate

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A private hire driver has been prosecuted for making around 300 paid journeys in a vehicle which didn’t have a valid MOT certificate. Fahad Shabbir, who drove for mini cab firm L E Taxis in Long Eaton, was found to be operating without the appropriate certificate during an inspection in April this year. The MOT was found to of expired 6 weeks prior to the inspection and had during that period completed around 300 trips with paying members of the public.

In most cases, as soon as your MOT expires, your insurance will no longer be valid. Driving without insurance is considered illegal, so if you're caught, you can face an unlimited fine or even disqualification from driving, plus 6 to 8 penalty points.Mr Shabbir pleaded guilty to driving or allowing another to drive a motor vehicle on the road without a valid MOT, and was consequently fined £121, made to pay a victim surcharge of £30 and costs to the council of £115. In a report published in the Derbyshire Live, lead member for Environment at Erewash Borough Council, Councillor Garry Hickton, said it is important that the correct tests and checks are carried out to ensure the safety of passengers and drivers. He went on to say that this prosecution sends out a clear message that action will be taken against anyone who fails to complete and pass any relevant inspections.

September 15, 2018 at 08:44AM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT