The UK Parking Control suspended and under investigation by the DVLA

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UK Parking Control (UKPC) has been suspended by the DVLA following allegations of 'data misuse'. The multi million pound company which has over 2,000 sites nationwide, including NHS, supermarket and retail centre car parks, and a turnover of more than £11.6m is under investigation for failing to follow guidelines in regards to a previous suspension that was enforced back in 2015. In 2015 the UKPC was served a suspended for admitting to faking time stamps on tickets to catch out drivers. A number of employees were found to of manipulated the system by finding a "loophole" which enabled them to alter times and subsequently issue fines to drivers who had in fact parked legally. After the incident in 2015 the UKPC were prevented from chasing any unpaid fines due to their inability to use the DVLA data to trace drivers addresses. This guidelines were not followed and car park attendants were found to be telling drivers that were issued with tickets that they would still be pursed. According to a report in the Independent, the UKPC claimed its staff misunderstood an email regarding the suspension and its conditions. The DVLA will now investigate the allegations against the parking company.

April 30, 2018 at 09:52AM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Direct to Dubai: Flights from £257rtn with Virgin Atlantic

Get yourselves out to glittering Dubai in double quick time with these direct flights we spotted in our Flights Finder. These great fares are with Virgin Atlantic, a fine choice for a long haul flight! We've seen availability between May and June and September and November. Add more high quality accommodation using our Hotels Finder.… Samcana POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Nissan Dynamo remains set for “summer” London launch

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The capital’s first 100% electric and emission free taxi remains set for a “summer” launch according to a Nissan Dynamo spokesperson.

The much anticipated Nissan Dynamo taxi follows the arrival of the LEVC TX eCity on to the streets of London. A third electric taxi, Metrocab, will also provide cabbies further choice however no indication in terms of its release date has been announced.

The new Dynamo taxi is set for a retail price of £42,500 (after grants); over £10,000 less than its current competitor. The taxi is ready for production at it’s manufacturing plant in Coventry however drivers must wait a few more months as Dynamo await the “new models to come with the long range battery”.

Earlier this year Dynamo revealed to TaxiPoint that the finance package will cost drivers £200 per week for five years, with no deposit and no final balloon payment.

The spokesperson went on to say: “Dynamo Motor Company are respectfully and humbly entering into the London Hackney carriage market. The Dynamo Taxi isn’t for everybody, but for those who ply their trade in the City, for those who are open to change and can see the benefits of Electric, it fits perfectly.

“The range of 174 miles really is a game changer in the Electric Taxi market, it removes any anxieties regarding range that drivers perceive. Being the only 100% zero emissions Taxi, drivers who sit in their “office” for up to 12 hours will no longer be breathing in their own poisonous fumes.

“With proven reliability worldwide, running costs of around 3p per mile (home charging) the Dynamo offers huge savings for drivers in the Taxi world.”

April 30, 2018 at 09:02AM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Plan ahead: 7nt Winter escape to Malta from £175pp incl. 4* hotel, breakfast & flights

Pirates, set off for the beautiful island nation of Malta with 7 nights from £ including the 4* Maritim Antonine Hotel And Spa, breakfast & flights. The hotel is a 12-minute walk from the beach, with a glorious rooftop pool, spa and three lovely restaurants. Just the thing to escape that grey British winter -… jcrdawes POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Stoke cabbie convicted of refusing to pick up a disabled passenger

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A Stoke cabbie has been prosecuted this week for refusing to pick up a wheelchair-bound passenger.

Mohammed Butt, 56, from Wellesley Street in Shelton, refused to allow 25 year old Bal Deol to enter his taxi in Lichfield Street, Stoke on Trent.

Butt caimed in court that he had refused to take the student because he was concerned that the wheelchair may tip over in his vehicle, and thought that she was drunk due to her words being slurred because of her disability.

Miss Deol, who suffers from Generalised Dystonia said in court that she had tried to explain the law surrounding the carriage of disabled people in a taxi, however he closed his window and ignored her.

The driver was subsequently charged and convicted under section 53 of the Town amd Police Clauses Act 1847.

This was the first ever prosecution under this act in Stoke on Trent.

Butt was fined £300 and ordered to pay £750 costs as well as a £30 surcharge at North Staffordshire Justice Centre.

The cabbies licence is now being reviewed by the council's licensing and registration committee.

April 30, 2018 at 03:54AM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Part One: From School Boy to Knowledge Boy to Butter Boy

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After finishing year 11 at high school and not knowing what I wanted to do long term, other than become a professional boxer, I decided to stay on to at sixth form to give myself time to figure out what I wanted to do career-wise.

During this time I had quite a successful amaetur boxing career and I decided I would turn pro but had to have a job that would fit in with my training. My dad had been a cabbie for 15 years and it seemed the logical step for me to take. I would be my own boss and could fit being a cabbie in with my training. And so the journey began...

So where do I start – well let’s start where every Knowledge boy starts – Manor House Station to Gibson Square. In June 2013, I found myself driving up Seven Sisters Road to start the first of the 320 blue books runs. Finding Manor House Station was easy enough, as was finding all the points along Green Lane such as the Castle Climbing Centre. However, the sense of being completely lost if I dared to stray from the route that was pinned to the board on the front of my bike was overwhelming.I finally ended up at Gibson Square and immediately phoned my dad feeling like I had achieved something on the Knowledge… how little I knew. I sat on the kerb looking at the map and taking notes on the square and the points nearby before setting off to start the second run – Thornhill Square to Queen’s Square.Finding my way from Gibson Square round the corner to Thornhill Square was the first time I found myself lost on the Knowledge. I later realised that becoming ‘lost’ is a very helpful way to learn as you discover an area of London which you haven’t yet come across and then realise certain roads in the new area take you to an area which you already know, resulting in your knowledge of London broadening. This is exactly what happened. After missing the turning for Liverpool Road, the next turning I took was Pentonville Road. As I had heard my dad mention this road in the past, I thought I would go for it. What a mistake that was. Travelling around the one-way system at King’s Cross, I was concentrating more on not crashing, as vehicles were coming at me from all directions.I eventually ended up on Copenhagen Street and needed to stop to see where the heck I was! A few moments of looking at the map and road signs, I realised I was at the juntion of Matilda Street, the exact road I needed to take me to Thornhill Square. Result!Before heading to Queen’s Square, I had a quick moment to reflect on how big the task of learning the 6 mile radius of London was. I’d got completely lost on my second run, how was I going to cope learning the next 318?! So off I went, continuing my journey with the slight feeling of confusion and being stranded in the middle of a very large ocean.

Next week... Dean talks with appearances.

In the meantime, Dean Richardson returns to the ring at York Hall, Bethnal Green for his seventh pro fight.Having won his first five fights by way of knockout, he was taken the distance for the first time in his last outing where he won by unanimous decision against Jan Balog.Richardson’s next fight, which is on 19th May, will be a step up as he is scheduled to fight in his first 8-round bout. Due to the early stoppages, he has only gone a maximum of four rounds, despite one bout being scheduled for six.Winning this bout will take Dean another step closer to a fight for the Southern Area Light-Middleweight Title, which he hopes will be within his next two fights.Tickets are priced at £40 Unreserved Seating, £65 Ringside and £100 VIP and are available on 07702 887088. Alternatively if you wish to pay by credit/debit card, please click here.

April 29, 2018 at 11:36PM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Disneyland Paris break from £129pp - incl. 2-4nts, park tickets & flights

There's magic in the air pirates! Come and experience the fun of Disneyland Paris with this great offer from TourCenter. As part of this package you'll get park tickets, between 2 and 4 nights at a hotel close to the park, as well flights from 6 UK cities. Departures are available from now until December… Samcana POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Luxe late summer holiday to Croatia 7nts from £348pp - incl. 4* hotel, flights & breakfast

Ahoy mateys! Sun, sea, mouthwatering cuisine and great wines await you on Croatia's Istrian Riviera. You will be staying at 4* Hotel Eden Rovinj in a tranquil forest setting next to the beach, offering a large free-form pool and an indoor pool, along with a plush spa section with couples' treatments. Perfect for a late… Cee POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Sizzling Santorini deal from £271pp: 7nt beachfront 4* hotel, flights & breakfast (2-3 sharing)

Ahoy mateys! Santorini is top of many bucket lists this year but prices would make your eyes water. Luckily for you, we've spotted excellent value on an end-of-season holiday to the gorgeous Greek island that will be sure to make you say Oi! Starting from as little as £271 per person, based on 2 adults… Niamh_UK POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Leicestershire compliance team up with the police and HMRC to undertake extensive Taxi checks

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On Thursday 26 a number of spot checks were undertaken on taxi's around East Midlands airport. The checks were a joint operation by North West Leicestershire District Council, Leicestershire Police, the Driving and Vehicle Standards Agency and HM Revenue & Customs. They were also accompanied by licensing officers from eight other councils in surrounding areas. According to a report in the Leicester Mercury, 74 taxi's in total undertook the extensive checks, with most passing with no issues, although seven cars were found to have serious defects. One of those vehicles was seized because it was not licensed to be used. One driver had his licence suspended for breaking a number of rules including failing to have a spare tyre or inflation kit, having a defective headlight, an out of date First Aid kit and an empty fire extinguisher, all standard requirements for a licensed taxi operating in the Midlands. The compliance teams left no stone unturned, with checks even including fuel samples which were tested by the HMRC team. High standards are always expected to be met by all taxi drivers nationwide and in most cases they always are. Whether you own your own taxi or rent, it's important to remember it's the taxi drivers responsibility to make sure the vehicle being driven meets the requirements expected.

April 29, 2018 at 04:43PM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

4* Mexico all inclusive from £843pp: 2 weeks in early summer - incl. flights, bags & transfers

Pirates, head off to the beaches of Mexico this summer and save an extra £150 off already discounted TUI holidays on our packages finder! For example, 14 nights all inclusive at the 4* Riu Vallarta, on Mexico's gorgeous Pacific coast, is normally £1237, but you'll pay just £843 per person, based on 2 sharing in… Niamh_UK POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Uber given the green light to continue operations in Vienna

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Uber technologies has announced that it has resumed its services in Vienna after it was announced that a court had ordered them to stop all operations last week. A complaint against the ride-hailing app was upheld by a court which ordered Uber to suspend its operations on the grounds of it's infringement of competition rules in the Austrian capital, but after working intensively on adjusting their procedures to conform with current rules, Uber have been allowed to continue operating. As reported in The Local AT, Uber Austria said in a statement; "We are delighted to announce that we can offer you our service again. In recent days we have worked intensively on adjusting our procedures. We have also taken the time to listen attentively to our partners, users and drivers to become a good partner for Vienna"

April 29, 2018 at 03:53PM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Jaw-dropping Costa Brava bargain: 7nt holiday in May from £90pp - incl. flights (2-4 share)

Pirates, now is probably the best time to nab a last minute summer holiday bargain; we can't see prices for Spain getting any cheaper than this 7-night trip to Costa Brava from £90 per person, based on 4 sharing. Wow! It's a cheap and cheerful self-catering holiday so grab your mates and enjoy a cheap… Niamh_UK POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Dublin flights in May from £25 return - incl. some weekends (June from £29 return)

Did you know you can get to Dublin from as little as £25 return? Cheap Ryanair flights are currently available on our flights finder, including some weekends throughout early summer. The best value is only from a handful of UK airports but you can, of course, fly from all others for a bit more. Flight… Niamh_UK POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Ultra Cheap New York from £381pp: 4nt family break with 4* Central Park hotel & direct flights

You'll be in good company at the 4* Park Lane Hotel in New York; Nestled between The Plaza Hotel and The Ritz Carlton, it overlooks Central Park and is less than 5 minutes from Carnegie Hall. Pirates can score a whopper of a deal there next January with a 4-night holiday, including direct flights, starting… Niamh_UK POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Just opened: Funky East London hotel from £30pppn - 10 mins from Liverpool St

Take a trip to up-and-coming East London and stay in one of the cities newest hotels -- the Moxy Stratford, part of the Marriott Hotel Group -- from as little as £30 per person, per night, based on 2 sharing, including weekends! This fabulous hotel features fantastic wall art and chic decor throughout, and is… Niamh_UK POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Vegas from £429pp: 7nt stay - incl. flights & hotel w/circus, theme park & casino

Get a week in Vegas this winter for under £450 per person, thanks to some eagle-eyed sleuthing by our deal-hunting pirates on our holidays finder. We've spotted the 7-night steal for Circus Circus Hotel Casino & Theme Park, including direct flights, with cheap dates available on a number of Monday departures in December. Holiday details:… Niamh_UK POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

2-4-1 Summer sale: Village hotels 2nt stays from £70 - hotels with pools, spa & gym

Ahoy Pirates, check out this really great deal Village Hotels are offering, you can stay for 2 nights from only £70 for the entire stay, that's under £40 per night. (We have even found rates at £35 for 2 nights - wow!) You can book stays from 1st June up until 23rd September, why not… Lola POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Subsidising billionaires: “Uber’s business model relies on under paying drivers” say Zoom

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Analysis from Uber in Australia has shown that the company’s business model is dependent on underpaying its drivers.

According to analysis by the Centre for Future Work in Australia called ‘Subsidising Billionaires’, UberX drivers earn well below minimum wage once all the hidden costs are taken into account.They say that Uber’s cheaper fares are made possible because the company is significantly underpaying its drivers.Australians earn $14.62 per hour on average driving for the ridesharing company’s most popular and low-cost service, UberX, the report estimated. This rose to more than $18 for those driving in Sydney and Canberra and dropped to under $11 for those in Perth. The numbers were based on gross revenues generated by a typical urban fare (traveling 10km and taking 22 minutes to complete) according to UberX’s published rate schedule.According to the calculations by the think tank, after deducting Uber’s various fees, net taxes, and the costs of providing and maintaining the vehicle, the driver is left with an average of just $8.29 from that fare (barely one-third of the gross revenue they collect).The statutory minimum wage in Australia is $18.29 an hour and the average wage for workers in the sector averages at about $30 an hour for those working under Australia’s Passenger Vehicle Transportation Award.In their opinion, the underpayment of UberX drivers in Australia constitutes a subsidy paid by them to the company amounting to hundreds of millions of dollars per year; and this underpayment of drivers (in Australia and elsewhere) has been essential to the dramatic expansion of Uber’s market value (most recently estimated at almost $50 billion U.S.).The report’s author, economist Jim Stanford, says Uber’s business model would collapse without the poorly paid labour.“The low incomes of their drivers are essential to the escalation of Uber’s market value that has made some people fabulously rich,” he said. “The company dresses this up as flexibility but the money is so bad and uncertain that it’s only in an environment that people are desperate that this model can work.”The cost of regular taxis are on average about 40% higher than UberX fares.Stanford, who is the Centre for Future Work’s director, said in addition to the low hourly pay, drivers miss out on other protections and entitlements such as superannuation, workers’ compensation and leave entitlements.David Rohrsheim, the general manager of Uber in Australia, told the ABC’s 7.30 program “earnings change depending on what time people chose to log on”.“Drivers know this and the smart ones log on at the right times, in the right areas, and earn the big bucks.”CEO of zoom.taxi Matthew Kendall said this attitude “underlines the callous attitude Uber has towards its drivers which is more akin to a 19th century mill owner than a 21st century company.”“Saying that drivers should play the market not only shows its opinions of passengers who use the company but completely undermines the flexibility which many people operating in the gig economy need.“There are some people at the top of Uber who have become extremely wealthy at the expense of drivers who sign up unaware of the added costs, massive depreciation of assets and the lack of security regarding work: this report is called ‘subsidising billionaires’ and that is exactly what this business model does.“At the same time we know in the UK that because Uber base themselves in the Netherlands for tax reasons, they can pay less VAT and don’t contribute to the Exchequer as people might imagine they do, despite the fact many of their drivers will have to have their earnings topped up with in work benefits.“This is why we always recommend people use their local company: it’s still capitalism but without the exploitation.”

April 29, 2018 at 09:13AM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Sunday Soecial Report: Pop Up Ranks, The Pros And Cons.

There's been a lot of discussion about the pros and cons of pop up ranks. 

A few weeks ago, there was a problem with Taxi picking up a fare on a certain App, (who pay commission to the concierge for booking a Taxi using their app). Trouble was there were half a dozen Taxis waiting outside with their lights on at the time.

Drivers who use the app point to the fact that there is no official rank outside this hotel. 

Whereas drivers outside the hotel say pop up ranks actually show a need for a rank and many times in the past, a rank has subsequently been allowed.

This week on Facebook, an article caused a bit of a stir (later deleted) when a driver complained that a driver had picked up, immediately after dropping off at the Praed street exit to Paddington, while there were half a dozen Taxis with their lights on outside the Hilton.

It seems the idea that the Taxi trade are a 'band of brothers' who abide by a set etiquette... has now been replaced by a dog eat dog attitude.

The pop up rank proved to be very effective fight back tool, against private hire ranks (using the satellite office regulation, bought in under the STaN report) that sprung up outside every club, bar, restaurant and hotel, roundabout 2007. 

This trade, this band of brothers, this hit squad....stood our ground and in many instances we won the day. 

Let's remind ourselves of the pop up ranks that preceded official ranks:

Cranbourne Street (Mr Ali's), Stringfellows, Hombre's, Jalouse (Hanover Sqr), Tiger Tiger, Fabrics, Nobu, Novikov's, Quaglinos, Forge/Abacus, Hakassan, Swallow Street, Heddon Street, Brewer Street, Sketch, ToyBox, Victoria Sporting Club, Charing Cross Road, Coventry Street, The W Hotel, Russell Street, Sushi Samba, Toast, The Arts Club, etc...

All these ranks stared out as pop up ranks, the drivers banding together, fighting back at the lines of Minicabs illegally ranking. If drivers hadn't popped up and ranked at these places, the official ranks wouldn't be there today. 

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