Transport Minister Jo Johnson in shock resignation

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Jo Johnson has announced his resignation as Transport Minister in a shock move over Theresa May's Brexit withdrawal deal.

Following a Cabinet reshuffle in January 2018, 46 year old Johnson became Minister of State for the Department of Transport, following on from John Hayes, who was highly supportive of the taxi industry, he was also Minister for London.

Johnson, who is Boris Johnston's younger brother said, via a video posted onto Twitter:

"Theresa May's withdrawal deal would leave the UK outside the EU but “wholly subject” to its rules."

He also added:

"The UK is on the brink of the biggest crisis since World War II."

Mr Johnson, a staunch remainer, stated that he felt that he had no choice but to submit his resignation this afternoon.

November 09, 2018 at 05:11PM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI Steve Kenton THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

London taxi driver looks to take app to employment tribunal claiming workers rights

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A London taxi driver is seeking funding to take ride-hailing giants mytaxi to an employment tribunal following his removal from the taxi app. Chris Johnson, a cabbie of 4 years, has used his removal from the popular app as an opportunity to raise questions as to whether mytaxi and similar ride-hailing apps are in fact a booking platform or a ply-for-hire conduit. The driver is hoping that action in court will confirm mytaxi as a plying app for cabbies and bring into question similar private hire apps like Uber, Taxify and ViaVan who claim to be a pre-booking app. To bring this question to the forefront Mr Johnson has challenged mytaxi on the grounds of workers rights. The cabbie is looking to follow in the steps of private hire drivers looking to move away from self-employed status and instead claim that each independent cabbie is in fact a controlled worker. Chris Johnson said : “I’m bringing an employment tribunal case against MyTaxi on the grounds that I believe I have been unfairly sacked for blowing the whistle on serious public safety concerns. Additionally, I allege that MyTaxi has misclassified me under a sham self-employed contract similar to what most of these “gig economy” companies do to their workers to avoid giving drivers their basic rights. “It’s important to note that I am not claiming that I am an employee for MyTaxi, I’m claiming that I’m a limb-b worker, that being a category of self-employed and someone who has some employment rights as I carry out my work as part of MyTaxis’ business. “It’s difficult to suggest that taxi drivers are genuinely operating on their own when working for MyTaxi given the fact that MyTaxi fix the prices on jobs to the airports, contractually obligate drivers to do their work and suspend drivers if they don’t, and unfairly deactivate for highlighting public safety concerns – these are all reasons why I believe that MyTaxis’ driver T&C’s are a sham and are in fact not too dissimilar to the “controls” Uber place on their drivers. “Given the increasing market dominance of apps these are important rights and winning may well stop apps like MyTaxi illegitimately undercutting individuals who are genuinely operating on their own account.”

This opinion is however not supported by some within the industry. Steve McNamara, General Secretary at the LTDA, who said: “We have always maintained that taxi drivers are 100% self employed and can decide when and if they work and if they sign up to or subscribe to an app or radio circuit.

“We are the polar opposite of minicab drivers who HAVE to subscribe to an app or minicab radio circuit and work for an Operator and who are ‘controlled and directed’ by an operator and who are 100% employed by that operator. “I am aware that Unite, the RMT and the UCG share our position” So far roughly 350 drivers have helped Mr Johnson raise £9,554 to help fund the legal work around an employment tribunal. The driver needs to raise a total of £15,000 in the next 20 days on fundraising site Crowd Justice. There are some concerns from the taxi community that the case could have an adverse affect to the industry, especially around VAT exposure. Currently self-employed drivers are not liable for VAT, however if that status changes companies like mytaxi and Gett will be passed the VAT liability required on all journeys. Drivers fear the VAT will pass directly back to the cabbie with fee’s potentially rising from 10% of each fare to 30% to cover the additional cost. Chris Johnson added: “There has been some debate on social media that if I win a worker rights claim then MyTaxi will be exposed to VAT and our commission fees will be increased from the current 10% rate to 30% to cover that, I dispute this - what I’m claiming is that I’m a worker for all of the time the app is switched on and I’m available for work on it. “If a driver has the app switched on for 12 hours a day and is unavailable on the app because of other work for 2 hours in that 12 hour period then MyTaxis’ liability to the driver is for 10 hours at the national minimum wage (NMW) rate plus expenses (approx £8 per hour for cost of the taxi). Therefore in reality, if we are not receiving the NMW plus expenses at a 10% commission rate, how could we receive the NMW plus expenses if MyTaxi were to increase the commission rate up to 30%?” Sean Paul Day, one of the founders of rival ride-hailing app Taxiapp, supports the case by saying: “The trade has enjoyed a pretty good year, the street work has picked up and the apps have backed off from draconian fixed prices. Still, the Crowd Justice initiative is vital now more than ever. “The freedom that we are currently enjoying needs to be ring fenced, The upturn in work is due to natural fluctuations in workflows and a significantly reduced fleet. It isn’t because there has been a change in policy and there is no regulatory framework being prepared to deal with the rapidly changing face of tech. “On top of that is the influence of big business- even on our government bodies- now prevalent more than ever. All of this is what we should to prepare for, and that’s what the Crowd Justice Employment case is all about. If we want to continue enjoying the freedom that we have now, then we need that freedom ring fenced. There might come a time when we are more reliant on the apps or the trade is weakened by political interference, if so we will be mightily glad we took the time to have conditions set in place that protects our working practices. Preparing for the future begins now.” At this moment in time a spokesperson from mytaxi said: "We are unable to comment on the legal case as it is ongoing."

November 09, 2018 at 12:27PM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI Perry Richardson THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Councillor says he has no sympathy for Taxi drivers who are cold while sitting on ranks and calls for a ban on idling

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According to Councillor Normal Briggs of Oldham, taxi drivers should invest in overcoats for during the winter months rather than leaving their cabs running to keep warm while waiting on ranks. In a bid to tackle air pollution, Briggs has proposed a new condition that would stop taxis from idling on ranks while they wait for jobs. Briggs said that it was ‘tough’ if drivers were cold and it was not right to leave your engine running to generate heat during the winter months. According to the Manchester Evening News, he told members of Oldham’s licensing committee that drivers who were cold get no sympathy from him. He simply said “get an overcoat.” During the meeting, Councillor Briggs said: “I went outside this morning and there was three taxis on the rank, all with the engines running. “They’re not getting any sympathy from me on that one. I worked outside for years and years when I was in contracting on building sites, they’re getting no sympathy from me.” John Garforth, the council’s trading standards and licensing manager, said it would be possible to introduce the new policy of ‘no idling while waiting’ and even joked that that the council could ‘buy them all a coat or a pair of gloves’.

November 08, 2018 at 11:32PM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI Michael Murphy THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Taxi drivers in Greece stage a 12 hour strike against ride-hailing apps that are still not conforming to new regulations

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Taxi drivers in Greece have staged a 12 hour strike as they demonstrate their frustrations over what the call “unfair competition” from ride-hailing apps like Uber. Regulators imposed stricter rules earlier this year on such apps, forcing them to apply for permits and use only licensed taxi drivers for their platform, but Greece’s nationwide union of taxi drivers, POEIATA, called the strike stating that many operators were still offering unlicensed services. Uber pulled out of Greece at the point of stricter regulations but other apps including “local app” Beat still operate.

It's not clear if Uber are one of the operators the taxi drivers are protesting against. Beat are currently taking action against the head of the taxi drivers union for alleged defamation. The demonstration by taxi drivers just highlights the ongoing battle traditional services are facing against the new wave of ride-sharing tech across the globe. According to a report in Reuters, taxi drivers will rally outside the court that the ongoing battle will Beat is taking place.

November 08, 2018 at 10:43PM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI Michael Murphy THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Private Hire driver ordered to pay over £2,000 for refusing to take guide dog

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A private hire driver from Telford has been ordered to pay more than £2,300 by a court for refusing to take a blind man’s guide dog. Zaheer Mahmood, 48, was found guilty at a trial of the offence under the Equality Act 2010. The court heard how Mahmood was pre-booked to pick up Mrs Bright and her partner Mr Bowers, who is blind, from Wellington train station along with their guide dog Isca. Mrs Bright confirmed in court that when ordering the cab, she stated to the operator that they had a guide dog that would be travelling with them. When Mahmood arrived and saw that he was to take the dog in the vehicle, he refused. Mrs Bright was left with no other choice but to order another minicab from the same operator. Shropshire Council’s trading standards and licensing service investigated the claims which resulted in criminal proceedings being brought against Mahmood. It is an offence to refuse to take an assistance dog in a private hire vehicle under the Equality Act 2010, but Mahmood denied this ever happening. As reported in the Shropshire Star, Mahmood defended his actions claiming that he refused the job because he had earlier that day purchased two part worn tyres which were in the boot of his vehicle leaving no room for the two cases that were brought by Mrs Bright and Mr Bowers. Mahmood claimed that he informed the operator of the lack of space had requested that another vehicle be sent, but an investigation found that during that phone call Mahmood didn’t mention anything about having tyres in his boot and confirmed that his complaint was about having to take a dog in his vehicle. In a recording obtained by officers, Mahmood could be heard saying to his operator “you send me job in train station, and they go with a dog as well, you not tell me about dogs”. Having listened to all evidence, District Judge Jackson said that he found it hard to believe Mahmood and sided with Mrs Bright. Mahmood was found guilty of the offence and fined £300. He was also ordered to pay a £30 victim surcharge and prosecution costs of £2,000.

November 08, 2018 at 07:20PM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI Michael Murphy THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

BP Chargemaster invests £25 million in ultra fast charge points on fuel station forecourts

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Taxi drivers could see rapid improvements to the electric charging network across the UK as fuel giants BP announce £25 million investment to bring EV charging to its service stations.

BP announced at a recent energy forum that they aim to start rolling out “ultra-fast” charge points to almost 1,300 service stations early next year. The diesel and petrol fuel providers own Chargemaster who are the UK’s biggest EV charging network and also manufacturers of the charging units widely used. David Martell, chief executive of the newly formed BP Chargemaster, said the company was investing £25m over the next 12 months and hinted that the ultra-fast chargers, which can charge a car in a matter of minutes, will be completed within three years. Service stations will also be looking to take advantage of the increased “dwell time” and retail opportunity presented.

According to Fleet News Martell said: “Currently, people may typically take about five minutes in a petrol station; even with ultra-fast charging that is like to increase to 15-20 minutes. That’s an opportunity for retail development.”

November 08, 2018 at 04:40PM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI Perry Richardson THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Uber Joins Forces with the International Cricket Council

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Uber and The International Cricket Council (ICC) announced a world first partnership to support the first ever standalone ICC Women’s World T20 in the West Indies.

It is said that Uber and the ICC aim to leverage one of the world’s most popular sports to engage the broader cricketing community in a conversation around the important role sport plays in empowering girls and women around the world.

This partnership will encompass on-the-ground activation in participating WWT20 countries, in addition to the creation of a six-part digital film series featuring the inspiring stories of female cricketers, watch party and match day promotions across Uber and Uber Eats in participating countries.

Commenting on the partnership, David Richardson, CEO of the International Cricket Council, said: “Uber is a globally recognized brand and one that is committed to the empowerment of women around the world. As a sport we have also made a commitment to grow the women’s game and it will form one of the pillars of our strategy that will be launched early next year. This is a genuine partnership that is focused on our shared values and Uber’s plans are exciting and complement what we’re trying to achieve. The traditional sponsorship model is changing and this collaboration is a reflection of that, it’s about a shared ambition to move women’s cricket forward, tell the story of our sport more broadly and build heroes in our game.” The ICC Women’s World T20 will be held from 9 to 24 November 2018, during the 2018–19 international cricket season. The 10-team tournament will be played as a standalone event for the first time between Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka and the West Indies.

November 08, 2018 at 03:54PM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI Perry Richardson THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Fully autonomous vehicles may be further away than anticipated

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In a keynote address at the third annual Emerging Technologies in Automation Conference and Trade Show, Grant Courville, vice president of product management and strategy for QNX, which is a division of Blackberry, has stated that fully autonomous vehicles may be further away than we think.

Mr Courville explained that fully autonomous vehicles, in other words, vehicles with no accelerator pedal, brake pedal, nor steering wheel, are unlikely to be common-place until at least 2035.

In the interim, vehicles will be produced with enhanced security features, as well as some autonomous features, but the belief that self-driving vehicles will take over the roads in two or three years time is unlikely.

Courville stated that the road to full autonomy is fraught with conplex hurdles, both technologically as well as regulatory.

According to CBC the conference at Caesers' Windsor was attended by around 300 people.

November 07, 2018 at 11:29PM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI Steve Kenton THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Cheltenham cabbies forced to change vehicle colour

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A seemingly bizarre, and highly controversial, policy changed has been ratified by Cheltenham Council.

All cabs in the borough will have to be Silver, and wheelchair accessible by December 2021.

It was reported in Gloucestershire Live that despite vigorous opposition to the policy from cab drivers as well as their representative organisations, the change was rubber-stamped on November 6th.

Drivers had argued that the changes required to bring their vehicles in line with the new initiative would be to costly to implement in just three years.

The proposed changes, which were first announced in March, prompted dozens of irate cabbies to take to the streets, outside of the council office, in protest at the plans.

It is believed that the policy may have wiped over £2.5 million off of the industry, with drivers stating that they would rather opt for a less polluting vehicle than convert their existing vehicle to a wheelchair accessible vehicle.

November 07, 2018 at 10:22PM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI Steve Kenton THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Addison Lee Group and Oxbotica begin mapping Canary Wharf for autonomous vehicle services

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Private hire firm Addison Lee and Oxbotica, the British leader in self-driving vehicle software, have taken the first steps toward autonomous driving in the capital by launching a 3D street mapping exercise in London’s iconic Canary Wharf.

The mapping process signals the start of the minicab operators quest to introduce autonomous services by 2021. The companies, together with Canary Wharf Group and insurer AXA XL, have already started the process, using a vehicle equipped with mapping technology to record every kerb, road sign, landmark and traffic light in Canary Wharf’s 128-acre estate. This is the first stage of a mapping exercise across London, where more than 250,000 miles of public roads will be mapped in order to better understand the requirements for rolling out a fully autonomous service. Mark Nallen, Head of Technology and Innovation at Canary Wharf Group, said: “With an expanding estate, and visitor and commuter numbers growing, we need to plan our future transport needs, and the mapping exercise with our partners at Addison Lee Group, Oxbotica and AXA XL is the first stage on this journey.” Partnership vehicles have already started the mapping exercise, with radars that help Oxbotica understand the environment, cameras to take in images of the streets and lidar sensors that send out laser pulses to sense the surroundings. This enables Oxbotica to build a rich 3D map of the area, which is then analysed to identify important features such as traffic lights, pedestrian crossings and road markings. Oxbotica will use this data to help understand the contents of street signs, and the meanings of the lane markings on the road to enable the vehicle to be “as knowledgeable as a local resident” about the complexities of each street. The company will repeat this process many times, and at different times, improving the understanding of how the streets change in different lighting conditions, weather and seasons of the year. When the autonomous vehicle travels down these same streets, it builds the same picture and matches it to the map, using the knowledge about traffic light location and lane markings to help localise itself and be aware of what’s around the next corner. Autonomous vehicles could be part of the answer to urban transport Oxbotica’s insurance partner, AXA XL – a division of AXA – is insuring the exercise. AXA XL has significant experience in the field of autonomous technologies, having signed a landmark agreement with Oxbotica in 2016 to examine the technology’s potential impact on risk management. In May 2018, it announced a suite of insurance solutions to support the commercial adoption of mobile robotic solutions. Canary Wharf Group’s Nallen said: “Canary Wharf now has over 120,000 daily commuters and around 30,000 visitors coming to the Estate every day. Canary Wharf Group has consistently pioneered new technologies to ensure tenants have access to the best possible infrastructure. Transport is clearly vital to any growing population and as public transport routes become more heavily used, it is crucial we provide additional capacity to meet the increasing scale of their transport needs. We believe the types of services envisaged by Addison Lee Group and Oxbotica could be part of the solution and we are delighted to be at the forefront of autonomous vehicle innovation.” Andy Boland, Addison Lee Group’s CEO, said: “With its’ campus-style arrangement and high number of commuters, Canary Wharf is the perfect place to begin our mapping of London with Oxbotica and a possible location for new Addison Lee Group services.” Speaking on the importance of the partnership, Vincent Branch, Chief Executive of Accelerate, AXA XL’s innovation team, said: “Autonomous technologies will – in the near future – directly impact our working environments, the design of our cities and transport infrastructures. This ground-breaking mapping project positions Addison Lee Group and Canary Wharf at the forefront of this exciting development and we are delighted, along with Oxbotica, to be enabling it.”

November 08, 2018 at 12:55AM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI Perry Richardson THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Uber faces a headache in the middle-east as it heads toward an IPO

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Uber could face problems in the as they look toward launching an IPO as early as next year.

UK Business Insider has reported that the minicab giants' board of directors, in their entirety, including former CEO Travis Kalanik as well Saudi official Othman Al-Rumayyan, have held major talks in an attempt to head off a major international problem due to the company's links to Saudi Arabia.

Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi pulled out of Saudi Arabia's Future Investment conference, which was held in October, in the wake of the murder of Washington Post journalist, Jamal Khashoggi in the Kingdom. However the Saudi's, both directly and indirectly, now own more than 10% of Uber, which could give Uber a problem as they look towards an IPO, which could be valued at around $120 Billion, as early as next year.

Along with the Uber CEO along, BlackRock CEO Larry Fink, JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon and US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, all of whom whos company's are investors in Uber, all swerving the conference, Travis Kalanick, who remains a director at Uber along with SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son remained in Riyadh.

It is believed that Uber may be concerned that between the adverse publicity which has dogged the company, along with the links to Saudi, it could have a major impact on the eventual launch of their IPO.

November 07, 2018 at 09:48PM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI Steve Kenton THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Hundreds of cab drivers handed tickets and suspension notices for driving defective vehicles

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Hundreds of cabs in Liverpool have been handed tickets and suspension notices for driving defective vehicles for work, it has been revealed. During a six-month operation set out to improve road safety within the industry, 586 tickets were issued, 192 of those were suspension notices, according to a report in the Liverpool Echo. Merseyside police and Liverpool Council also confirmed that 450 tickets were issued for leaving parked cabs unattended on designated taxi ranks. A previous operation that took place at the start of the year revealed that the figures for handing out similar notices were even higher at 768, so although there has been an improvement in safety standards, figures are still incredibly high. A recent report in Taxipoint, showed that 40 taxi and private hire drivers were arrested for driving while under the influence of drugs, highlighting the battle the authorities face to clean up the industry in the city. The latest figures mean that around 40% of cabs have been subject to defect notices or suspensions. Liverpool Council and Merseyside police have said they aim to ensure people using taxis and private hire cars in their area do so safely in the knowledge that the vehicle they travel in is safe, and the driver is responsible. They also stressed to all cab drivers that if they do not get their vehicles checked and any necessary repairs made, they run the risk of their vehicle being taken off the road. A similar operation in Derby also reported a number of taxi and private hire vehicles having defects and were also issued suspension notices.

November 07, 2018 at 09:41PM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI Michael Murphy THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Boycott private hire drivers who are licensed by other authorities says second city councillor

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Cross-bordering has raised its ugly head once again, this time in Birmingham, where Councillor Paul Tilsley is calling for a boycott of the use of any driver who has been licensed by another authority. Reports that many drivers that operate in the Second City are in fact licensed by surrounding areas, most noticeable Wolverhampton City Council, has raised concerns about the future of the trade. Wolverhampton city council have faced much criticism about the amount of private hire licences they are handing out based on what many believe is an easier route in obtaining a licence. The issue was once again raised in the Birmingham City Council chamber this week, according to a report in the Express and Star. Mr Tilsley asked Councillor Barbara Ding, who is chairman of the Licensing and Public Protection Committee, to support his call for all Birmingham residents to boycott any any-of-town drivers by assuring they request only Birmingham licensed drivers be sent to pick them up by the operators. Wolverhampton city council have defended their licensing process, stating that their standards are among the highest in the country. Private hire drivers along with taxi drivers in Birmingham have said they are suffering since the Hugh influx of drivers from outside the city that are driving in to take the work.

November 07, 2018 at 07:00PM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI Michael Murphy THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

UCG withdraw from TfL engagement policy

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It's been announced, in a letter to Transport for London, that the United Cabbies Group (UCG) is withdrawing from TfL's engagement policy.

The announcement, which was made by Trevor Merralls, the General Secretary of the UCG, confirming that a unanimous decision had been taken by the UCG committee to withdraw from the engagement policy, with Mr Merralls sayingin a statement to UCG members:

"Your committee has unanimously taken the decision for the UCG to withdraw from the engagement policy with Tfl. This decision was not taken lightly and it will have no impact with the representation individual members receive.

Our organisation will not be complicit in the systematic destruction of our trade." Mr Merralls then added:

"Our organisation is made up of members who are fighters who are honourable and are not afraid of doing the right thing. Our trade is fighting for its very existence the UCG was formed to fight for our trade to put the interests of the trade first second and always.The UCG is unique within the trade because we don’t seek popularity we do what is right not what is popular. I hope you agree with your committee and continue to back it."

The UCG have been part of TfL's engagement policy since January 2017, along with a number of other representative organisations from the licensed London taxi industry, with TfL receiving criticism over the lack of minutes taken at meetings, as well as the regularity of those meetings.

The full, unedited letter reads:

Dear Mr Robinson,

The UCG has been part of the so-called ‘Engagement Policy’ and party to Trade / TfL meetings since January 2017; we have attended every meeting since then. We have now concluded that further engagement with TfL is not only completely pointless but also not in the best interests of our members. We entered the EP with an open mind and determination to give TfL a fair hearing in the hope that you would listen to our input and act accordingly where appropriate. Naturally, we could never agree on every subject, but you have made absolutely no attempt to resolve important issues; Illegal PH Plying for Hire via apps, High Court definition of P4H and Uber driving a coach and horses through the regs being just three examples. TfL has said to the UCG on two occasions ‘We have heard your opinion if you don’t like it take us to court’. This arrogant attitude is not only unacceptable but is beneath contempt for a Regulator. At all meetings when awkward but cogent questions are asked, TfL either avoid answering or defer the answer to a later date; that date never appears. We have asked for Minuted Meetings since Jan 2017, but that request is constantly refused, and we are expected to rely on your selective ‘meeting notes’. We feel that the outcome of all TfL meetings is a fait accompli with a pre-determined outcome and have no faith in TfL’s lacklustre approach to interacting with the trade organisations/unions. We note that the Commissioner met once again with Mr Khosrowshahi from UBER this time on Monday 22/10/18 and yet the London Taxi Trade struggle to get a meeting with the commissioner and when we do it feels he is there out of sufferance. Our history goes back to 1654 and for TfL to treat the trade with such contempt is nothing short of scandalous, TfL inherited the World’s finest Taxi service, you didn’t create it. The question we are asking ourselves is ‘are we “failing to engage” or “engaging to fail”. The UGC is no longer prepared to be complicit with TfL in their attempt to destroy our honourable and unique trade. Therefore, we will not attend any further meetings with TfL, be they TOPS, Senior Reps or Commissioner meetings. The GLA report found you to be ‘Woefully Inadequate’ and the UCG must concur with their opinion. Best regards Trevor Merralls. UCG General Secretary

There has been no response from Transport for London as yet.

November 07, 2018 at 04:17PM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI Steve Kenton THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Greener Dial-a-Ride vehicles to help improve passenger experience and boost UK economy

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The first batch of 90 green Dial-a-Ride vehicles has now arrived in London. Dial-a-Ride is the door-to-door service that opens up London and provides a lifeline for those not able to travel without assistance. The buses will allow older Londoners and those with disabilities to make vital journeys across central London in modern clean vehicles. They meet the Mayor’s tough air quality standards – four months before the central London Ultra Low Emission Zone comes into operation. Emissions will be reduced further as the majority of these vehicles have technology to stop engines unnecessarily running when the bus is not moving. The wider fleet of around 300 will continue to be upgraded ahead of the expansion of ULEZ to the North and South Circulars in 2021. Dial-a-Ride caters for more than a million journeys a year, has high customer satisfaction and an exemplary safety record. The new vehicles will improve these further by creating an enhanced experience with better heating, air conditioning and a smoother journey. The vehicles also have automatic braking, to reduce the risk of collisions involving Dial-a-Ride vehicles. TfL is taking action to reduce operating costs across all of its functions while maintaining the safety and reliability of London’s transport services. These Dial-a-Ride vehicles are an example of this. TfL has used its experiences of previous Dial-a-Ride vehicles to design out known issues or faults. This, along with the improved reliability of the modern engines, will reduce the ongoing maintenance and operational costs of running Dial-a-Ride. James Mead, General Manager of Dial-a-Ride, said: “Dial-a-Ride is part of the city’s social fabric, making sure vulnerable Londoners are not isolated in the community. These vehicles also contribute to the wider societal benefit of cleaning up the air for future generations. “Our customers tell us how highly they value the service and this is borne out in our customer satisfaction scores. Additionally, where we can we support people who may have thought they were dependent on Dial-a-Ride to travel on their own with travel mentors. We give them the tools they need to experience greater freedom when getting around.”

November 07, 2018 at 11:51AM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI Perry Richardson THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Uber increase peak time prices by over 15% in London

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As of Thursday customers of the controversial ride-hailing firm Uber will have to fork out roughly an extra fifteen percent on peak weekend journeys in the capital.

The minicab operator who are currently in the London courts appealing issues surrounding workers rights is increasing the price of all journeys made on Thursday’s through to Sunday between 10pm and 6am by a jaw dropping 20p per mile.

The price per a mile will move from £1.25 up to £1.45, and also increase 5p per minute, from £0.15 to £0.20, for each journey. These fees will rise further if surge pricing is applied during peak and busy periods.

This price hike also follows the recent announcement of a further increase of 15p per mile due to start soon labelled as a “clean air fee”. This levy is said to help drivers make the move to electric vehicles.

The base rate will stay the same, at £2.50, and the minimum fare will remain at £5 respectively. The increase only applies to all fares taken in London’s Congestion Charge Zone.

According to The Evening Standard an Uber spokesperson said: “We’re making these changes to help provide a better experience, by attracting more drivers to some of our busiest areas. “We know people use Uber to book a safe trip home and we want to ensure we’re providing a reliable service, particularly on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights, when more people want to travel.”

November 07, 2018 at 11:50AM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI Perry Richardson THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Look past the rose-tinted glasses of investors to see the true timescales attached to autonomous cars

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The race to move to an autonomous workforce seems to have attracted a frenzy of activity from those with money to burn looking for the Holy Grail.

The motoring industry, in particular the taxi and private hire market, has long been the jewel in the crown for those wanting to shed a few employees and reduce the costs involved employing workers. At TaxiPoint we’re sent updates on an almost daily basis where companies claim to have made the breakthrough and driverless cars are imminent. Sometimes you’ve got to look past the investors rose-tinted glasses and actually seek a more impartial view on the challenges that remain. Private hire firm Addison Lee and Oxbotica, a British leader in self-driving vehicle software, have reportedly agreed a wide-ranging alliance that “accelerates the implementation of autonomous vehicles to London’s streets” by 2021. But how likely are we to see the technology from the minicab firm in the next couple of years? Not very likely if you listen to more impartial opinions from those not looking to burn the next colossal mountain of cash on a futurist pipe dream. At the recent Bloomberg New Energy Finance’s Future of Mobility Summit, a meeting that attracts all the top experts within the industry, a live poll was conducted asking its esteemed audience when consumers will be able to purchase a fully autonomous vehicle. The results are not encouraging if you are looking forward to be driven driverless soon. Almost three in four experts said the autonomous dream won’t be achieved before 2030. There are three very big road blocks that are proving tricky for those looking to make the breakthrough. Technology, regulations and public opinion. Quite simply the technology still isn’t there. Yes a vehicle can be driven in perfect conditions and with clear road markings. However, problems have emerged when any sort of variable is added. Whether it be the sun sitting in-front of a white vehicle, autumn leaves covering road markings, bin-bags sitting in the middle of the road, snow covering sensors and road markings, the list goes on. Several high profile accidents, and in some cases fatalities, have also hindered progress. The race to become the first city in the world to introduce driverless cars continues to push regulations to a level that have seen trials introduced and then quickly stopped on the grounds of safely. Then you’ve got the big question, do people actually want driverless cars? Do the majority of drivers want to give up the freedom and skill of driving the vehicle that each motorist is trained to drive? There’s a still a future for taxi drivers so long as these road blocks remain.

November 06, 2018 at 01:45PM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI Perry Richardson THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT