LPG set to make the big London taxi breakthrough following City Hall u-turn and available grants

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Whilst London taxi drivers talk about electric vehicles and the move away from current diesel cabs, a different cleaner fuel source has re-emerged to possibly help make the transition quicker for some. In the lead up to Christmas you could be forgiven if you missed City Hall’s change in direction on LPG. In fact London Mayor Sadiq Khan announced he would offer a limited number of LPG conversion grants available to drivers of Euro 5 taxis to support the shift to cleaner vehicles. The LPG grants has been open to applicants as of the start of this month. According to Autogas Limited, a UK wide company that specialises in turning diesel taxis into LPG green machines, the fuel helps reduce Particulate Matter by 99% and cut NOx by 80%. Whilst LPG offers less drastic changes to CO2 emissions, a reduction of 7% respectively, the taxis converted to LPG would meet Euro 6 vehicle standards. This would mean all taxis would meet the current strict emission rulings despite their age. Further benefits highlighted by the firm include a low initial investment (it costs roughly £10,000 to convert) as taxi drivers can keep their existing vehicle, lower maintenance costs compared to the diesel, and also substantial 20-30% lower fuel costs.Autogas also claim that transition from diesel to LPG is made easier by the robust existing refuelling infrastructure and offers a 300 – 400 mile driving range.

LPG has long been around in the industry, but never fully supported by past London Mayors. In fact, Sadiq Khan himself was strongly against the fuel only last year.

Back in March 2018 Assembly Member Caroline Pidgeon probed the London Mayor at City Hall’s public monthly question time, directly asking him how he would provide support to the taxi industry for the roll out of more LPG vehicles in the capital. The response from Sadiq Khan was a definite and defiant no to any help. Khan said liquid petroleum gas did offer some potential carbon dioxide savings over petrol, but limited air quality benefits. The key goal for the mayor was clear; zero-emissions, not interim improvements. Caroline Pidgeon highlighted London could benefit from following in the footsteps of Birmingham whilst in a transitional period moving towards Khan’s 100% zero-emissions vision. The Midlands city was awarded £500,000 from the Department for Transport in 2014 which was used to convert 80 diesel taxis to use LPG. The project saw big reductions in nitrogen oxide (NOx) and particulate materials (PMs) levels. In response the mayor said: “We would encourage manufacturers to realise there is a market there for zero-emission capable taxis. We have the grant scheme. We are assisting those additionally with taxis between 10 and 15 years. I would not want our priorities to be focused - or monies, more importantly - towards LPG.” But that’s all changed just months later. The take-up of existing offers to delicense older diesels was low, with only around £450,000 of a multimillion pound fund used. There also seems to be a realisation that drivers with a diesel Euro 5 vehicle still rightfully have multiple years left to operate the taxi in London. These cabs will slow down Khan’s vision of 100% zero-emission transport in the near future. LPG offers the interim measures to at least move the fleet away from diesel quicker.

With the threat of taxi age limits dropping from fifteen years to twelve looming, Euro 5 owners may see LPG as the perfect solution. Is 2019 finally the year for LPG to make it’s mark in London? It could well be.

January 09, 2019 at 11:51PM http://bit.ly/2UVulRY Perry Richardson THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Consultation on final proposals for TfL’s HGV Direct Vision Standard opens today

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TfL has today launched the final public consultation on its world-first Direct Vision Standard proposals, which will tackle road danger at its source by eliminating Heavy Goods Vehicles' (HGVs') blind spots that are the cause of so many tragic deaths and life-changing injuries. The Direct Vision Standard, and associated Safety Permit for HGVs that have retrofitted a Safe System, will reduce road danger for people across the capital.

In 2017 around 4,000 people were killed or seriously injured in collisions on London's streets, which is unacceptable. TfL research shows that between 2015 and 2017 HGVs were disproportionately involved in fatal collisions, with 63 per cent of those involving people cycling and 25 per cent of those involving people walking. This is despite HGVs only making up four per cent of the overall miles driven in the capital. TfL is now asking people to have their say on the final scheme proposals with a particular focus on the HGV safety permit processes. As part of the consultation, people can comment on:

The process for obtaining a vehicle's direct vision star ratingThe safe system requirementsThe permit application and administration processThe enforcement and appeals process

The European Commission has followed London's lead by including direct vision in the revised General Safety Regulation, which is the leading piece of EU road safety legislation.

This is a major step in reducing road danger and will help make all HGVs safer across Europe. The Direct Vision Standard forms a key part of the Mayor's Vision Zero approach to eliminating all deaths and serious injuries from London's roads by 2041. Restrictions in an HGV driver's field of vision, or 'blind spots' have been identified as a significant contributory factor in collisions. The HGV Safety Permit is a holistic approach which aims to improve the overall safety of HGVs through blind spot elimination and minimisation, warning of intended manoeuvre, minimising the physical impact of a hazard and recommending driver safety training. Will Norman, London's Walking and Cycling Commissioner, said: 'I am proud that London will be the first city in the world to take such bold action to remove the most unsafe lorries from our streets. 'We are not prepared to stand by and let dangerous lorries continue to cause further heartbreak and tragedy on London's roads. 'We are doing everything we can to make our roads safer. Improving HGV safety standards will dramatically reduce danger for both cyclists and pedestrians. 'Taking action against dangerous lorries will help a lot more Londoners feel safe cycling as part of their everyday routine, improving their health, and helping tackle air pollution across our city. 'Road safety mustn't end at our borders, which is why I'm delighted that the European Commission is following our lead - helping ensure that all HGVs are safer across the UK and Europe.'

January 09, 2019 at 01:37PM http://bit.ly/2UVulRY Perry Richardson THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Uber driver pleads guilty to killing six people

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Michigan Uber driver Jason Dalton has pleaded guilty to six murders, as well as two counts of attempted murder and eight fIrearms offences.

According to a BBC report 48 year old Dalton claimed that the Uber app had controlled his mind and body.

None of the Daltons victims were Uber customers, he did however continue to pick up passengers during the attacks in Kalamazoo.

Dalton submitted his plea while jury selection was taking place, and was done against his attorney's advice.

The first shooting took place outside a residential block, leaving a woman with serious injuries after being shot several times in front of her children.

A father and son were then mortally wounded, with a third victim seriously injured after being shot at a car dealership.

Four people were then killed im the car park of a restaurant, and a 14 year old girl was seriously wounded.

Dalton had undergone the relevant background checks to be on the Uber platform and passed due to the fact he had no prior criminal record.

Daltons plea to offences, which took place in February 2016, carriy a mandatory life sentence without parole.

January 09, 2019 at 12:55PM http://bit.ly/2UVulRY Steve Kenton THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Uber's IPO now in doubt says CEO Dara Khosrowshahi

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Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi has said that the company may not hit their target of going public this year after all. The ride-hailing giants have long said they aim to push an IPO through in 2019 but in an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Khosrowshahi has poured water on those ambitions by saying the company is in no rush to go public and may choose to bide its time and ride out rough market conditions. He added that the firm currently had “a strong balance sheet” so it was in no desperate rush to go public. Khosrowshahi said that it is still a desire for himself and the company’s shareholders but “if it doesn’t happen it doesn’t happen”. Tech stocks such as Apple’s and Facebook’s have taken a hit as of recent which has left the market facing slightly more unsteady times which may play a factor in whether or not Uber will be in what they consider the perfect position to public. Because of they relatively young age of Uber’s business, it is unlikely to be subject to the same market forces as the more “established players” Khosrowshahi said. Khosrowshahi confirmed that the company’s earnings remain healthy despite market gloom, with revenue still up.

January 09, 2019 at 09:51AM http://bit.ly/2UVulRY Michael Murphy THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

LEVC to build up TX stock to minimise potential “No Deal” Brexit impact

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Electric taxi manufacturer LEVC are to maintain production levels over the coming months to minimise any potential disruption that may come from a “No Deal” Brexit. In what is traditionally a quieter period for taxi sales, but the builders of the iconic vehicle are looking to build up TX stock for customers in both the UK and in Europe. The firm based in Coventry have been revving up its production levels following its busiest December on record for sales. 30 new LEVC TX’s we’re handed over on Christmas Eve alone. Sales of the only electric taxi available in London peaked between September and December where around 50% of total UK sales volume for the year occurred. There are now more than 1,000 LEVC TX eCity electric taxis on London’s roads and the product has experienced export success in Germany and the Netherlands with total sales set to double in 2019.

January 09, 2019 at 12:52AM http://bit.ly/2UVulRY Perry Richardson THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Northumberland cabbies lucky escape at level crossing

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A Northumberland cabbie and his passenger had a miracle escape near a level crossing when his vehicle was struck by a train.

The cab was struck by a train after the driver turned onto the tracks at a level crossing near Hexham.

The Chronicle Live reported that the rear of the vehicle had been completely crushed, but thankfully nobody suffered any injuries, with the driver and passenger both managing to escape from the vehicle before it was struck, there were no reported injuries on the train either.

The emergency services were deployed to the area on Monday, January 7 at approximately 7.15pm.

As a result of the incident, all trains between Carlisle and Hexham were cancelled, whilst wreckage was cleared from the track. The line was reopened at around 3am the following day.

The incident is not being treated as suspicious.

January 08, 2019 at 07:15PM http://bit.ly/2UVulRY Steve Kenton THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

LEVC and Geely to align future product portfolio and strategies to create commercial vehicle line-up

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LEVC and Geely New Energy Commercial Vehicles, LEVC’s parent company, have today announced a move to create a seamless portfolio of electric commercial vehicles for markets across the world. This new strategy will create a line-up of electric commercial vehicles, with potential for more electric van derivatives for cities, as well as ensuring that the company’s electric commercial vans can be developed, manufactured and marketed globally. There are now more than 1,000 LEVC TX eCity electric taxis on London’s roads and the product has experienced export success in Germany and the Netherlands with total sales set to double in 2019. Building on this success the new combined global strategy will enable both LEVC and GCV to take advantage of substantial increases in demand for electric commercial vehicles over the next decade. Chris Gubbey, CEO, LEVC said: “With an urgent need for clean air in cities across the world, global demand for electric commercial vehicles is set to grow significantly, and this move represents a huge vote of confidence in LEVC by Geely. The creation of a new global strategy focused entirely on electric commercial vehicles makes strategic sense and will allow us the opportunity to create a wider range of new products. This move will help to increase choice, lower development and production costs.” Faced with immediate market challenges related to the macro environment, whilst also recognising the substantial uplift in the market potential over the coming years, both GCV and LEVC conducted a thorough review of its electric commercial van strategy. Whilst it will remain independently run within the Group, LEVC will now work in closer partnership with GCV playing an important role globally in developing and proving new technologies in mature markets, that are now being exploited across the Group. Geoff Dong, CFO, LEVC & Geely UK said: “With the successful introduction of the TX eCity, LEVC has allowed us to prove our vehicle concept and technology in the toughest commercial vehicle market in the world. Our updated strategy is a demonstration of Geely’s continued commitment to the UK and investment in LEVC over the long term. We are essentially facing two opposing challenges, incredible growth in the potential for electric commercial vehicles, whilst there are some immediate obstacles related to our macro environment and intensifying competition. These twin dynamics enabled us to strengthen our strategy and create global alignment.” The new strategy will mean that the electric van will now come to market in the early 2020s. This decision does not affect production of the TX eCity, LEVC’s iconic electric taxi.

January 08, 2019 at 02:44PM http://bit.ly/2UVulRY Perry Richardson THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Warning other road users of speed trap locations is an offence that comes with a fine of up to £1,000

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How many times have you flashed an oncoming vehicle to warn of a speed trap they are approaching? Well according to Rule 110 of the Highway Code, you are committing an offence. Rule 110 states that you can’t flash your headlights to convey messages to other motorists. There’s also another route used by some to warn other drivers of speed camera locations; social media! And guess what — that could well be considered an offence in contravention of section 89 of the 1996 Police Act which states: “Any person who resists or wilfully obstructs a Constable in the execution of his duty, or a person assisting a Constable in the execution of his duty, shall be guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to imprisonment for a term not exceeding one month or a fine not exceeding level 3 on the standard scale, or to both.” Really? I hear you say — yes! And if caught doing so, the fine could be up to £1,000. Posting any warning of any police speed traps on social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter would be considered as obstructing an officer’s work and assisting the prevention of the fine of someone who may commit an offence if they were not warned in advance. So next time you consider a “heads-up” to your fellow road users, bare in mind it could well be considered an offence that comes with some rather harsh punishment.

January 08, 2019 at 09:27AM http://bit.ly/2UVulRY Michael Murphy THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Local cab firm contributed to heartwarming gesture which kept homeless people off the streets over Christmas

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A local minicab firm from Northampton gave a heartwarming gift to 15 homeless people over Xmas by working together with the Hope Centre and hotel chain Travelodge to offer free accommodation for two nights. Bounds Taxis of Northampton gave presents to each of the 15 guests who would normally of been sleeping on the streets over the festive period. The Northampton Chronicle first reported the wonderful gesture which was said to leave some in tears. The regional manager of Bounds Taxis has said they hope a similar scheme can be repeated throughout the year and has encouraged other firms to join in the amazing gesture. Hats off to all those who contributed.

January 07, 2019 at 02:06PM http://bit.ly/2UVulRY Michael Murphy THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Are some Uber Eats and Deliveroo drivers working illegally?

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It has been revealed that Deliveroo and Uber Eats couriers have been renting out their jobs to “illegal immigrants” via the internet. The Daily Mail has reported that couriers from both companies are advertising their jobs on social media, allowing others to then operate on their respective platforms, without performing any form of checks on any given individual. It has been alleged that individuals are being shipped in from abroad, which may include illegal immigrants, and are then using other registered drivers accounts for payment. Couriers are allowed to sub-let their account, provided that adequate identity checks are performed, however whilst Deliveroo and Uber Eats do ask for proof of identification, a proof of the right to work in the UK and a valid driving license, Deliveroo do not ask for confirmation of this and Uber Eats ask for proof to be submitted within 24 hours. According to a Times investigation It is believed that Deliveroo are aware of the situation, and have been for several months. It was reported that in one Uber/Deliveroo social media group, a courier was advertising a job with both Uber and Deliveroo for between £60 and £70 on each platform. The right for a driver to be able to be substituted is a legal requirement according to Uber Eats, whilst Deliveroo have stated that the allegations are unproven.

January 07, 2019 at 12:52PM http://bit.ly/2UVulRY Steve Kenton THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

London Uber driver who live streamed himself beating his estranged wife sentenced to jail

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38-year-old Uber driver Rahman Ullah from Croydon has been jailed for 14 months for threatening to kill his estranged wife while his family in Pakistan watched on a WhatsApp video call. Ullah severely beat his victim with a shoe, leaving her with two black eyes as well as other injuries. Members of Ullah’s family in Pakistan watched the live stream as he mimicked stabbing his 34-year-old estranged wife with a kitchen knife. The court heard how the pair had split from their thirteen year marriage twelve months before the sickening attack. Ullah tricked his way into his victims home when he was supposed to pick his daughter up to take to school. He convinced his daughter to hand over the front door key so he could gain access and attack her mother. Once gaining access to the flat, Ullah called his mother and brother by WhatsApp video and told them that he was “going to kill her today”. He began to hit her with the heel of his shoe ten to fifteen times. His wife attempted to escape the brutal attack but was caught and dragged back into the home where she was then threatened with a kitchen knife. The court heard that Ullah approached his wife with the knife at hand and began a “stabbing motion” while telling her “I’m going to stab you”. Ullah, who was a driver for ride-hailing app Uber, was arrested and claimed it was his wife that attacked him and had in fact been the aggressor during the altercation. He eventually pleaded guilty to assaulting his wife and causing actual bodily harm. Sentencing Ullah to 14 months in jail at Croydon Crown Court, Recorder Tom Forster said: “You were engaged in a WhatsApp video call to Pakistan, informing them you were going to kill her. “Not content with your boorish behaviour you pursued her to the communal hallway and by her hair dragged her back into the flat. “She was understandably tearful and you tormented her with a knife as a weapon to threaten and filmed the whole thing on a phone”. As reported in UK Asian Magazine, Ullah was also made subject to an indefinite restraining order.

January 07, 2019 at 09:39AM http://bit.ly/2UVulRY Michael Murphy THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Police appeal for help following GBH on Milton Keynes cabbie

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Thames Valley Police is appealing for witnesses following an incident of grievous bodily harm in Milton Keynes.

At around 4.30am on Thursday 27 December the victim, a 40-year-old man who works as a taxi driver, picked up two men from Watling Street in Bletchley.The victim pulled up in Wallinger Drive, where both men attempted to leave the taxi without paying a fare.One of the offenders approached the driver side door, removed him from the vehicle and violently assaulted him.The assault stopped after a vehicle flashed its lights at the offenders, who then walked away.The victim sustained a fracture to his left eye socket, a grazed knee, and cuts and bruises. He was taken to Milton Keynes University Hospital and has since been discharged.The first offender is described as white, aged between 25 and 30 years old, of medium build with short light coloured hair. He was dressed in a grey jacket.The second offender is described as black, aged in his early to mid-twenties, has an athletic build and medium length curly hair. He was dressed in a brown/yellow coloured jumper.Investigating officer Detective Constable Mandy Banfield, of Milton Keynes Force CID, said: “We are appealing for witnesses to this assault which was a traumatic experience for the victim.“We are particularly eager to locate the driver of the vehicle which flashed its headlights towards the offenders before they walked away. We would hope this person has information which could help our investigation.“Anyone with information is urged to get in touch with us as soon as possible.”

January 07, 2019 at 06:38AM http://bit.ly/2UVulRY THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Nicklas Bendtner begins sentence for attacking cabbie

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Former Arsenal striker and Danish international, Nicklas Bendtner has begun his 50 day sentence for assaulting a taxi driver last September.

Bendtner hit the driver in the face after refusing to pay his fare, claiming to have been acting in self defence after a bottle was allegedly thrown at him.

He will serve his 50 day sentence at his home, whilst wearing a tag. It has however been revealed in The Independent that the taxi driver has also lost his job.

It is alleged that the enraged cabbie pursued Bendtner and his girlfriend, driving aggressively at them, after being "bilked" by Bendtner. 30 year old Bendtner dropped his appeal in November and will be returning to his current club, Rosenberg in March.

January 06, 2019 at 09:33PM http://bit.ly/2UVulRY Steve Kenton THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Dartford Crossing petition close to reaching government acknowledgement

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A campaign launched to fight for the abolition of the Dartford Crossing toll has exceeded 10,000 signatures, which will be enough to force the government into a written response.

The petition was launched by Neil D'Silva, in response to the government continually reneging on an agreement to abolish the charges.

In February 1999, the government agreed that fees would be abolished once the bridge had paid for itself, and therefore by the end of 2003 would be toll free.

However in 2001, the government announced that it was reneging on that agreement, sparking outrage from motorists and motoring organisations. It has continued reneging on that agreement ever since, putting a financial burden on all road users, including taxi drivers and private hire drivers.

Powers to introduce a charge were agreed by Parliament in the Transport Act 2000, and the charge was then implemented in 2003.

The petition is now sitting at 16,943 signatures, which will now force a government response. If it reaches 100,000 signatures there will have to be a debate in parliament on the subject.

The campaign will run until the end of February.

January 06, 2019 at 08:52PM http://bit.ly/2UVulRY Steve Kenton THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Fake Taxi adult sex channel enthusiast still patrolling University city - but now has additional stickers on vehicle

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A law student who was allegedly trying to convince girls to take a ride in his fake “Fake Taxi” is still roaming the streets of Coventry months after first being spotted. A warning was issued by Coventry University to all female students to stay well clear of the man who had been seen parked up nearby in his vehicle which had the infamous porn channel “Fake Taxi” stickers advertised on the outside. West Midlands police had confirmed that they had spoken to the man but were unable to charge him with any offences. In the latest sightings which have been reported in The Tab, the vehicle has now been updated with some additional stickers including one that reads “I love my girlfriend”, “Gas, grass or ass - No one pays for free” and “If you get any closer you’d better have a condom”. The initial report was seen by the real Fake Taxi adult channel, which they responded to. They completely denied having any links with the man and his vehicle and even advised on social media for people to “Avoid”. People are still advised to not get in the vehicle and to only use trusted services although the man has since said he is just doing it as a bet and has no bad intentions.

January 06, 2019 at 05:39PM http://bit.ly/2UVulRY Michael Murphy THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

London Mayor policies failing badly says Association of British Drivers

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London’s population is still growing rapidly, albeit the rate of growth has slackened slightly of late. That increases the demand for travel in London. A recently published report from Transport for London (TfL) highlights the trends in travel in different modes – see below for a link to the full report. Here’s some of the key points:

The average number of trips per day in 2017/18 was 2.1. That figure has been falling in recent years and is similar to national trends. It probably reflects the difficulties of travel in the UK and in London, the higher cost, the fact that the population is ageing and the increase in remote working and telecommuting. From 2010 to 2017 the proportion of trips by walking, cycling and public transport in London increased only slightly from 62.6% to 62.7%. The trend to more “sustainable and active” travel modes has actually flattened out in the latest 2 years. In other words, the recent Mayoral policies to get people to change their travel modes to what he wants has been a dismal failure. But the Mayor is not giving up. The Mayor and TfL still believe there is a large scope for mode shift according to the report, but that is surely a figment of their imagination. Based on the data below, the Mayor will no doubt be focussed on getting those who live in outer London to change their ways – you have been warned! Road traffic in London increased only slightly by 0.1% in 2017. There was no growth in car traffic but LGVs rose by 1.9% probably due to more internet shopping deliveries. The general trend in car traffic levels in London is shown in this chart:

This probably reflects improved public transport (e.g. more buses that have been heavily subsidised and more underground/rail/tram/DLR services) and the degradation of the road network with fewer and more expensive parking facilities, particularly in central London, in the last 20 years. But note the relatively lower decline in outer London and the fact that since 2013 the decline has ceased in all areas.

The Congestion Charge (a.k.a. tax) in central London is not the cause of the reduction there because inner London has also shown sharp declines to which the Charge does not apply. It might have more to do with increased congestion and hence higher trip times in central and inner London for the reasons given above. Both bus journeys and underground usage have been falling – bus trips down by 6.5% in 2017 since 2014, and underground trips fell by 1.1% in 2017 although that had grown in previous years. These figures reflect perhaps the high costs of public transport, the overcrowding on the underground and on some bus routes in rush hours and the fact that bus journey times have been slowing due to traffic congestion. It can simply be quicker to walk in central London! Cycling figures suggest that numbers of trips were unchanged in 2017, but distances travelled were greater suggesting there are more long-distance cycling commuters and more trips in outer London. This might be the result of economic incentives to cycle as public transport fares increased (particularly national rail serving outer London) and more cycle superhighways. Cycle usage as a proportion of overall trips remains low at 2% however despite the massive investment in cycle infrastructure in recent years. Cycling is still relatively unpopular among the elderly, among females and those of a non-white or mixed- race background according to the report. Walking trip rates have been in decline in London in recent years despite the Mayor’s policies. Young adult walk rates fell by 22% between 2011/12 and 2017/18 for example. The impact of “healthy streets” and “active travel” policies promoted by the Mayor are conspicuously absent from the data in TfL’s report. Free travel passes both for those in education and for the elderly have clearly had a negative impact on walking rates. If the Mayor is serious about encouraging more active travel, that’s surely one hand-out he should cancel. As an aside, the recent introduction of 16-17 and 26-30 railcards has been promoted as a generous offering to help the young, but is it not just another way to charge less to more impecunious customers and more to the others? Anyone familiar with economics will know that this is a tactic to maximise profits. In the case of railcards, which have time of travel restrictions, it’s also a way to smooth out travel demand and fill those otherwise empty seats at off-peak times. Another failing Mayoral policy has been that on improving road safety. In 2017 the number of fatalities actually increased to 131 – up 15 on 2016. There were marked increases in pedestrian and cyclist casualties. Overall KSIs also rose in 2017 (by 2%) although that figure might be distorted by changes in casualty reporting. The roll-out of wide area 20 mph zones financed with many millions of pounds of funding from TfL and which was supposed to have a major impact on pedestrian casualties has clearly been every ineffective. In relation to improved public transport capacity to serve the growing population, that simply did not happen in 2017 – “place kilometres” remained unchanged. That’s surely another Mayoral policy failure and resulted in higher public transport overcrowding. But service reliability on buses and London underground plus DLR/trams did improve. Surface rail was patchy though.The full London Travel Report can be read here. It looks like it’s been written by public relations consultants as it presents a positive spin on the data when any detailed reading tells you a very different story.

But in summary it shows how the policies pursued by Transport for London, and by both the current and previous Mayors, have been a dismal failure. Lots of expenditure on the promotion of cycling and walking have not influenced travel behaviour much while expenditure on road safety has been misdirected with negative consequences. Improvements in public transport infrastructure have failed to cope with the increase in population which has been promoted rather than discouraged.

January 06, 2019 at 12:03PM http://bit.ly/2UVulRY Roger Lawson - ABD THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Latest ride-hailing firm Ola preparing to launch in south of England town

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Indian ride-hailing giants Ola will be pursuing an operators licence in Bournemouth as they continue their expansion across the UK, according to sources. As reported in The Bournemouth Echo, the firm, which is likely to rival Uber across the UK, is seeking to become an intrinsic part of the transportation “ecosystem” in Bournemouth. The Indian based firm, which already operate across the South West and South Wales, are intending to have 150 vehicles lined up before Bournemouth borough council considers its application. The council will now consider its request to begin operating in Bournemouth on Thursday January 10. Unlike Uber, Ola have the option for hackney carriage drivers to join the platform which will give customers the choice between traditional taxis and private hire vehicles. If granted a licence, the firm will set-up base in an office unit in the town and have a day-to-day operations manager who will liaise with its London headquarters.

January 06, 2019 at 11:32AM http://bit.ly/2UVulRY Michael Murphy THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT