Air Pollution on the London Underground Worse Than Above Ground Suggests Report

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The latest report from COMEAP (the Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants) shows that travelling on the London Underground may be dangerous to your health.

The air in the London Underground infrastructure is high in PM (particulates, i.e. fine dust). This is because of the generation of dust caused by the friction action of train brakes on wheels and wheels on rails, combined with dust generated by the clothes, hair and skin of the millions of people, in close proximity to each other, using the system. One hour on the underground, a typical exposure time for commuters, is equivalent to standing on one of the busiest London roads for the whole day. The deepest underground lines such as the Northern Line are apparently a particular problem. This problem has been known about for many years – for example the Institute of Occupational Health reported on the problem in 2003 but very little has been done about it since. Cleaning of some stations and tunnels was tried in 2017 but it was shown that cleaning stations alone had little effect and the exercise seems not to have been repeated. Little research seems to have been done on the impact of underground workers such as train drivers, although there are filters in drivers cabs which might assist. Another issue is that the composition of underground dust is somewhat different with high levels of metals such as iron compounds and it is not known if that makes it better or worse in terms of health impacts. The COMEAP paper reports conflicting evidence on that issue. As a result although they conclude there is likely to be some health risk they are unable to quantify it. They encourage TfL to undertake more measurements and more studies on this problem. Roger Lawson from the Alliance of British Drivers commented by saying “I suggest the Mayor of London imposes a new tax on underground trains to tackle this problem as he has done on road vehicles. Indeed he should probably tax underground passengers to encourage them to walk and cycle instead – you know it will be good for you! “But as the Mayor and TfL run the underground and would have to suffer the taxes, don’t expect this to happen anytime soon.”

January 13, 2019 at 01:06PM http://bit.ly/2UVulRY Roger Lawson - ABD THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Edinburgh looks to embrace electric taxis

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Edinburgh has taken a step closer to converting its taxi fleet from diesel to electric as the City Council’s regulatory committee look to discuss ways of encouraging both cab firms, and cabbies to switch across to cleaner technology. One company, City Cabs, has already taken steps to switch across, by purchasing five electric vehicles and ordering another five, as well as installing two rapid chargers at their headquarters, in the Scottish capital. It is believed that the five electric vehicles, which the company has on the road already, are saving drivers between £5 and £7 per day. October 2018, saw a £3.3m initiative approved to install over 200 charging points across the city by 2023, which will, according to a report, in the Edinburgh Evening Newssave 1,061 tonnes of CO2 per-annum. In 2015, Edinburgh cabbies received approval to use electric vehicles, it is believed that there could be in excess of 600 electric taxis operating in the area by 2023. Concerns have been raised by Regulatory Services Manager, Andrew Mitchell, who has urged councillors to ensure that a viable infrastructure is in place before electric conversion is forced upon companies and drivers. Other concerns which have been raised are the current range of vehicles available to the industry, as well as the speed of the roll-out, which some has said needs to be measured and sustainable. Some of the incentives which have been discussed, to encourage switching across to electric vehicles are, the removal of license fees for electric vehicles, the introduction of electric-only taxi ranks, and allowing saloon hackney carriage licenses for electric vehicles.

January 13, 2019 at 12:13PM http://bit.ly/2UVulRY Steve Kenton THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Age limit cuts is unacceptable says LTDA’s McNamara

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Happy New Year to all TAXI readers! I hope you’ve all had good Christmases, despite Mayor Sadiq Khan’s shock announcement the week before on reducing taxi age limits. We were appalled that the trade wasn’t even consulted prior to the announcement and even now details are still scarce on how it would be implemented and nowhere have we seen a cost impact assessment! The initial press releases refer to a “phased reduction” from 15 years to 12 years starting in 2022 but give no information beyond that. Our initial enquiries received a blanket response of “the detail will be in the consultation.” This is simply not good enough. As a result of the announcement there has been a significant fall in the second-hand price of virtually all cabs. Initial estimates suggest around £150 million has been wiped off the value of London taxis at the expense of their owners. Almost overnight the pre-owned market stagnated as potential buyers hesitated at buying a cab that will almost certainly be worth less if the proposals go ahead. What happens now will depend on what actually appears in the consultation, the number and shape of the responses and the mayor’s final decision. Ahead of this, the LTDA has already submitted a plethora of Freedom of Information (FOIs) requests to try and discover what information was used to support the creation of the proposal. I have also managed to get a meeting scheduled with the Deputy Mayor for Air Quality, Shirley Rodrigues, and have requested meetings with the Deputy Mayor for Business, Rajesh Agrawal, and the mayor himself. Once we receive the data on pollution figures that TfL will be relying on to support their proposals, we will once again instruct specialist scientists to review the information and prepare their own evaluations. This is exactly what we did in 2012, when we successfully defeated the previous mayor’s plans to reduce the age limit to 10 years. The press release also failed to mention that the mayor has drastically cut the £42 million he announced last year to help cabbies switch to the new electric taxi. We have been saying that this pot of money isn’t enough to achieve his objective of 9,000 electric cabs on the roads, but it has now dropped mysteriously to just £18 million. We’ll be asking City Hall some difficult questions around why they’re doing next to nothing to help drivers buy new electric cabs. The trade knows more than any other group how important it is to improve London’s air quality. We’re the ones sit in fumes all day! But it’s completely unacceptable to ban us from using older vehicles, the ones they forced us to buy, when it’s not affordable to buy newer, cleaner ones and when we still don’t have enough rapid charging points to allow us to charge up new electric cabs. Minicab Congestion Charge In better news, the mayor also announced that PHVs will now have to pay the Congestion Charge, while taxis will remain exempt. This is something the LTDA has long campaigned for. This charge should help to stem the huge increase in PHVs clogging London’s roads, while ensuring that black cabs can continue to provide fully-accessible public transport at an affordable rate for Londoners who rely on us. Sexual Assault Statistics Finally, just before Christmas TfL slipped out its latest statistics on sexual offences relating to taxi and PHV journeys. In 2017, there were 24 sexual offences where a driver has been charged, and you won’t be surprised to read that all those charged were PHV drivers. We pride ourselves in getting our passengers home safely, and this year we’ll keep up the pressure on TfL to do more to protect Londoners.

January 13, 2019 at 09:48AM http://bit.ly/2UVulRY Steve McNamara - LTDA THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Your London weekly traffic, events and useful information update

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Denmark Hill – Until Wednesday 27 February

• Until 17:00 on Wednesday 27 February, there will be lane restrictions between Orpheus Street and Ashworth Close • This is due to building worksTower Bridge – Tuesday 15 until Saturday 19 January 2019 • From 22:00 until 05:00 each night, Tower Bridge will be closed • Traffic will be diverted along the following route: Tower Hill, Lower Thames Street, Upper Thames Street, Southwark Bridge, Southwark Street, Borough High Street, Tooley Street

Protest – Saturday 12 January 2019 • From 12:00 to 15:30, approximately 2,000 people will participate in a march through Westminster • The march will begin outside the BBC offices at Portland Place and will end at Parliament Square via Langham Place, Regent Street, Piccadilly Circus, Haymarket, Pall Mall, Cockspur Street, Trafalgar Square and Whitehall • There is a road closure outside the BBC and there will be traffic holds along the route, enforced by the Metropolitan PolicePremier League Football, Wembley Stadium – Sunday 13 January 2019 • From 15:00 until 19:00, Wembley Stadium will be hosting a football match between Tottenham and Manchester United • Kick off at 16:30 • Large crowds and high traffic levels are expected in the Wembley area before and after the game • Roads likely to be affected include the A406, A1, A40, Harrow Road, Wembley High Road and roads around the stadiumProtest – Tuesday 15 January 2019 • From 16:00 until 21:00, a demonstration is scheduled to take place in Parliament Square • Metropolitan Police will close all roads on Parliament Square and Abingdon Street if the demonstration takes place

January 12, 2019 at 06:12PM http://bit.ly/2UVulRY Perry Richardson THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Hate rant Taxi driver hands over his badge to licensing committee during hearing

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Taxi driver Zaheer Hussain, who’s hate rant video went viral, has surrendered his licence to Preston City Council while investigations are undertaken. A video of Hussain emerged across social media showing him deliver a speech condemning any Muslim which converts to Christianity, which he later apologised for, but a petition which saw well over 1,000 signatures calling for his licence to be revoked has put pressure on both the council and himself to take action.

Hussain was called before Preston City Council’s Taxi and Miscellaneous Committee, after he was arrested on suspicion of racially aggravated harassment, to have his licence reviewed. It’s been confirmed in the Blog Preston, that during the course of the hearing Hussain agreed to hand-in his badge until the completion of the related police investigation and any subsequent legal processes.

January 12, 2019 at 12:59PM http://bit.ly/2UVulRY Michael Murphy THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

French court rules against Uber in 'employment' contract appeal similar to UK decision

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Controversial minicab firm Uber has lost its appeal brought forward by an ex-driver in France who feels he should be recognised as an employee. This weeks ruling overturns a previous ruling last year when Uber won at a French court. Originally the courts favoured Uber, citing drivers choose the hours they work and also choose which passengers they refuse. The ruling in France follows a similar decision in UK courts where the ride-hailing firm were told they should provide drivers workers' rights, including minimum wages and holiday time. The French court in Paris said the contract between Uber and the driver was "an employment contract" on the grounds that the driver was dependent ride-hailing service for work. Back in the UK just before Christmas, GMB the union for professional drivers, hailed a ‘hat trick’ of legal wins for against Uber after the Court of Appeal upheld a ruling that drivers should be classified as workers. In October 2016, the Central London Employment Tribunal ruled in GMB's favour - determining that Uber drivers are not self-employed, but are workers entitled to workers’ rights including holiday pay, a guaranteed minimum wage and an entitlement to breaks. Instead of accepting the judgement of the courts, Uber took their case to the Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) last year, which ruled against the ride-sharing company. The Court of Appeal judgement is Uber's third legal defeat on this issue in as many years.

January 12, 2019 at 09:51AM http://bit.ly/2UVulRY Perry Richardson THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Man who posed as an Uber driver to entice a woman into his vehicle before raping her sentenced to nine years in jail

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A man who posed as an Uber driver to entice his victim into his vehicle has been jailed for the kidnapping and rape of a woman. Mohammed Awais, 28, of East Ham, London, spotted the lone female who had been out with friends in Dalston East London when she ordered an Uber to pick her up. Unaware that the Uber she had ordered had been cancelled, the woman got into Awais’ vehicle when he approached in his white Toyota Auris on October 20, 2018 at around 12:20am. The woman became suspicious of Awais when she realised he didn’t know where he was going. When she voiced her concerns, Awais locked the vehicle doors and drove down a dimly lit alleyway in East Ham where he raped her and then robbed her of her phone, cash and laptop.

(Image:Met Police.)

The woman ran from the vehicle after the attack and hid petrified in the front garden of a nearby property where she was able to raise the alarm. An investigation into the attack was launched and Awais was soon arrested. He was then picked out of an ID parade and forensic evidence was also found which linked him to the attack. Awais was jailed on Thursday 10 for nine years and four months after he admitted rape, assault by penetration, kidnap, robbery, driving whilst disqualified and driving without insurance at an earlier hearing, the Newham Recorder reported. Det Sgt Emma Matthews, who led the investigation, said: “it was established the legitimate Uber vehicle the victim had booked had been cancelled without her realising. “Awais, who had never worked as an Uber driver, arrived at the location by chance and, spotting a lone female, acted as an imposter to get her into his vehicle before carrying out his despicable attack. “His disgusting behaviour is beyond comprehension. He left the victim in fear of her life. “She has been extraordinarily brave throughout the entire process. “I would like to thank her for supporting our investigation, and hope that eventually, and with our continued support, she will one day be able to leave this terrible incident behind her.”

January 11, 2019 at 07:05PM http://bit.ly/2UVulRY Michael Murphy THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Ofo bikes set to withdraw from London market

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The bike-sharing firm Ofo, distinctive for its bright yellow bikes, has pulled out of the UK market completely as the firm withdraws from London. Ofo is under threat of bankruptcy according to some sources and had originally withdrawn its bikes from Norwich, Sheffield and Oxford to focus on the captial, citing issues with vandalism and low demand. The Chinese firm allowed riders with access to its smartphone app to opportunity to unlock its yellow GPS-enabled bikes. The plus points for users over its competition in London in particular was that users could leave the bikes anywhere without having to find a parking dock. The firm did have around 6,000 UK bikes spread across cities that included London, Norwich, Sheffield, Oxford and Cambridge. The capital at its peak saw roughly 3,000 of those available for hire according to Guardian sources. This news comes as London expects a new challenger to the bike hire market in the shape of the Uber owned JUMP.

January 11, 2019 at 02:06PM http://bit.ly/2UVulRY Perry Richardson THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Malaga Airport touting scam exposed by cabbies

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A scam at Malaga Airport has been exposed by licensed taxi drivers as well as official transport agencies regarding passengers being picked up from the airport.

Euro Weekly News have reported that a gang of unlicensed drivers, or touts are waiting at Terminal 3 of the airport, and then picking up unsuspecting tourists. The touts have no insurance, nor any form of license to operate, leaving passengers at the mercy of these individuals, running the risk of being overcharged, or potentially being involved in an accident in an uninsured vehicle, which in turn could leave the passenger open to the cost of medical treatment. Irate cabbies have complained that the touts either work alone or in groups, and loiter around the airport for as long as they wish, with foreign drivers, and even the elderly, being highlighted as potential touts. The cabbies have also complained that there is no enforcement, with a lack of surveillance and security being blamed for the situation. It is recommended that the safest course of action is to always use a licensed taxi or reputable transit service both to and from the airport.

January 11, 2019 at 12:07PM http://bit.ly/2UVulRY Steve Kenton THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Plymouth cabbies face crippling operational increases

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Plymouth taxi drivers have claimed that they could be better off claiming benefits rather than actually working as the situation within the industry is so dire at the moment.

Plymouth Live has revealed that the beleaguered cabbies face a massive rise in keeping their vehicles on the road, with a proposed raise of an incredible 96% just to remain operational. The cost of a yearly taxi license for the area is set to increase from £210 to £324, whilst a badge renewal will see an increase from £112 to £165. Taxi drivers in the area are claiming that the working situation is the hardest it has ever been, with drivers earning around £5 per hour, well below the minimum wage. It has been stated that whilst some drivers are paying around £400 per week in running costs, such as rental and fuel, fares have gone up once since 2011, and that was by a mere 50p. The plans to implement the increase was put before the licensing authority on January 10. Drivers have been highly critical of the plans given that they have only recently had to replace vehicles that weren’t emissions compliant, which cost the taxi industry in Plymouth tens of thousands of pounds. It has been alleged that the reason for the increases which will be placed upon the taxi industry is because the licensing authority’s budget has a near £92,000 black hole. Conversely, the authority’s private hire budget is around £14,000 in the black. Private hire drivers in the region won’t get off scot -free either, they face a rise in their yearly vehicle license fee from £117 to £170, with a rise in the yearly PHV drivers license increasing from £82 to £120. Drivers have claimed that another reason for the proposed increases are because the councils are haemmorhaging money after taking drivers to court over disciplinary issues and subsequently losing those cases in court. Other proposed increases are a rise in new driver application fees and a charge for a spoken English test for prospective taxi and private hire drivers. In a report to its Taxi Licensing Committee, Plymouth City Council claimed that fees need to be set at a level which will recover administration and licensing costs. It also stated that fees will have to rise again next year, to ensure that the taxi deficit continues to reduce. In the meantime it remains questionable as to whether driving a taxi in Plymouth is economically viable for many drivers.

January 11, 2019 at 10:47AM http://bit.ly/2UVulRY Steve Kenton THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

British Airways adds electric London taxi to its premium transfer fleet

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British Airways has introduced a brand new and environmentally-friendly electric cab service at its Heathrow home, giving customers the opportunity to experience travelling in a legendary London taxi without leaving the airport. The London Electric Vehicle Company taxi features WiFi, phone, laptop and USB charging and a panoramic roof - great for plane spotting. In addition, customers can expect a smooth ride, air-conditioning and a spacious cabin with room for all of customers’ hand luggage. Premium connections The taxis will join British Airways’ fleet of chauffeur-driven executive vehicles, to drive premium customers at risk of missing their connecting flight to meet their next aircraft. Customers are met by the driver at the aircraft side and are driven directly to the aircraft side of their onward flight. With every ride completely free of charge, there’s no need for customers to reach for their wallets. Daljit Hayre, British Airways’ Senior Manager, Heathrow Customer Experience said: “It’s great to see the reaction of customers when they’re met by a London taxi at the side of the aircraft, waiting to take them on to their next flight. They’ve told us how much they appreciate this gesture, plus they love the space in the vehicle for their hand baggage. We’re also really pleased that using new generation electric taxi reduces our carbon footprint.”

Andy Kershaw, British Airways’ Environment Manager added: “British Airways takes its environment responsibilities seriously and this initiative is part of our overall ambition to reduce carbon emissions and those emissions that impact air quality and our local communities.”

The initiative is part of British Airways’ long-term plan to reduce emissions from all vehicles at Heathrow and follows the introduction of electric aircraft pushback vehicles. Chris Gubbey, CEO of LEVC, said: “We’re delighted that British Airways has chosen our electric vehicles to support this innovative new service. We designed the TX eCity with the aim of delighting customers with a more premium experience, and thanks to British Airways even those with the shortest of stays in London can now travel in comfort and style in the world’s most advanced electric taxi.” 2019 is British Airways’ Centenary year. The airline is investing £6.5 billion for customers over the next five years, including new aircraft, new cabins, new catering, new lounges, WiFi, and new routes.

January 10, 2019 at 06:51PM http://bit.ly/2UVulRY Perry Richardson THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Former British Taxi driver tragically dies in Ghana where he went to do voluntary work on an orphanage

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A former Liverpool cabbie who travelled to Ghana to do voluntary work on an orphanage has died after getting into difficulty while swimming in a river.

Liverpool Echo reported the tragic and untimely death which occurred at around 2:30pm on Tuesday January 9 when 54-year-old Wayne Robinson went for a swim in the Adawso shores of the Affram river.

Mr Robison and three other men went for a swim and it is believed he got into serious difficulty and was unable to swim ashore.

A local media reported confirmed that Mr Robinson body was retrieved from the river by local fisherman.

Mr Robinson would post pictures onto Facebook logging his progress in Ghana including what looked to be the construction of a building which was being restored.

Before travelling to Ghana, Mr Robinson held a dual hackney carriage and private hire licence for many years. He also ran a driving school based in north Liverpool.

An investigation into his death is underway to ascertain the exact cause.

January 10, 2019 at 02:09PM http://bit.ly/2UVulRY Michael Murphy THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Drivertax: The right questions and answers to keep you ahead of the taxman

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Q. When is my tax return due?

A. Now guys for anyone who hasn’t done their 17/18 tax return, get it in now! Your self-assessment tax return is not due until 31st January, but you shouldn’t just wait around. The important bit is that you have from 5th April until 31st January the following year to get your receipts and income sheets in order and produce and submit your tax return to HMRC and of course pay your tax bill. This means that the earlier you do your return the more time you have to get your money together and the more time you have to get proper advice and prepare yourself.Q. What are good books and records

A. HMRC say that as a sole trader you must keep “contemporaneous books and records”. That just means income and expenses as you go along. This can often be a hassle, but it comes down to everything out less everything in, leaves your profit - and that’s what you are taxed on.

The secret is what you can claim for and what you can’t in those figures. We’ve all got to do a tax return; At Drivertax we’ve tried to make the whole process simple, by providing you with a helping hand to make sure you claim for everything you are entitled to...Q. What can I claim for?

A. Firstly you need to start keeping receipts for the items you buy and the items you pay for. You must keep your receipts for six years. There are many things you can claim for and it often depends on your accountant’s interpretation of the HMRC guidelines and their bravery in defending your claim. The HMRC says you can claim for any expense genuinely used for the purpose of your business. So, fuel, motor expenses, mobile phone and car washing are included but sometimes we can look at subsistence (food and drink whilst travelling) and work clothes. You can learn more on our website here. Q. What is national insurance?

A. National Insurance is a tax system paid by workers in order to fund state benefits. When you become self-employed your National Insurance contributions are now made through your tax return. Self-employed people pay class 2 and class 4, these will be organised by your accountant. As a self-employed sole trader, the National Insurance Contributions you have to make are Class 2, which is £148.20 and Class 4, which is 9% of profits over £8,424.

Q. If I’m not registered can the HMRC find me?

A. The HMRC is being more and more computerised with the onset of MTD (Making Tax Digital).

Most of us nowadays have a digital footprint from our licensing to social media through to paying our bills, and so yes more than ever the Taxman can find you, it’s just a case of when…

The good news is that its possible to go to them or negotiate with them when they find you. The Revenue will decide if your behaviour is negligent or malicious and fines you accordingly. In this case you are better being a fool than a fraudster. Once again take advice.

At Drivertax we are very experienced at dealing with this and will fight your corner.Q. How do I register as self-employed?

A. It’s easier than you think. At Drivertax we do this for all our clients at no extra charge - no accountant should really charge you for the process.

It’s as simple as filling in a form to register with HMRC fill in a ‘CWF1 Form’. But be careful because the information will be checked and there are some tricky questions.

Q. What should I be paying my accountant?

A. This is a difficult one, good value is not always what it seems. Many accountants will charge a low price to do a tax return but then will charge for ‘extras’ such as a letter for a landlord or mortgage reference. Also, many accountants will not be interested if you get a tax enquiry or charge you high fees.

Look for an inclusive charge. Good accountants deserve to be properly paid for the work they do but your relationship should be based on mutual trust, and a total service.

Look for a charge that includes help if it all goes wrong, that’s when you know if you are getting value.At Drivertax, we charge a set fee of £360 including VAT for a sole trader tax return. TaxiPoint have negotiated a discount if you choose to use our services of £30 off your first year with Drivertax.Find out more by visiting here.

January 10, 2019 at 10:06AM http://bit.ly/2UVulRY Drivertax THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Uber driver ordered to pay over £700 after being found guilty of illegally plying for hire in Essex borough

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An Uber driver who was caught illegally plying for hire in Basildon has received a fine of £462, along with a victim surcharge of £46 and costs of £200. He was also given six penalty points on his driving licence.

Mr Philip Ogunoye, 49, was caught during a joint operation by Basildon’s council’s licensing team and Essex police who have set out a strict plan to crackdown on ‘illegal ply for hire’ by private hire drivers who are only permitted to pick up pre-booked fares.

As first reported by Basildon Council, Councillor peter Holliman, chairman of Basildon Council’s Licensing Committee, said: “this success in combating illegal plying for hire is good news for public safety.

“Drivers who are not permitted by their licence to ply for hire, put the public at risk because it invalidates the vehicles insurance.”

Basildon Council, along with Essex Police, regularly patrol the borough monitoring the cab trade and also track other operators such as ride-hailing firm Uber.

The case was heard at Basildon Magistrates Court on Monday January 7.

January 10, 2019 at 10:42AM http://bit.ly/2UVulRY Michael Murphy THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT