Luxe 5* Gran Canaria escape 4nts from £360pp - incl. half board, Sheraton hotel & flights

Ahoy mateys! Treat yourself to some scorching sunshine in Gran Canaria! We've spotted this great package holiday to the hillside 5* Sheraton Salobre Resort offering a private beach, luxe spa facilities and no less than 7 pools (!) in popular Maspalomas. Half board is included in this holiday, and you can adjust the duration of… Cee POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

J&M insurance release update regarding Alpha’s bankruptcy

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A statement has been released by J&M Insurance which is hoped will clarify misinformation that has been circulating in the media and social networks in regards to bankruptcy of Alpha.

Taxi and private hire drivers across the UK were left insurered after Danish insurance company Alpha went bankrupt last week.

Alpha underwrote policies provided by insurers including Protector, J&M insurance and Cover My Cab.

J&M Grouo Chief Executive, Paul Dodds said:

“Since Tuesday 8th May, immediately after we were informed about the bankruptcy declaration, we have been working tirelessly to support affected customers.After informing all policyholders of the situation by text message, email and letter, we have been helping customers take out like-for-like policies, which we have been able to arrange under a new provider, all whilst liaising closely with the FCA, who have been supportive of our approach.

“As you know, we have been issuing public and private hire insurance certificates under the name of Gefion Insurance since March, whilst Alpha was determined as a solvent liquidation. The rapid change of status, being declared bankrupt in around nine weeks, is quite shocking. This caught everyone by surprise, including the regulator.

“Despite inaccurate media stories, you will know that Gefion Insurance is an independent insurance company based in Denmark. It underwrites various classes of insurance business across Europe, including the UK, but has no connection to Alpha. There may have been confusion connecting the companies due to having ‘A/S’ at the end, the Danish equivalent of ‘Ltd’.

“J & M Insurance Services (UK) Ltd is a wholly owned subsidiary of Capital Underwriting Agencies Group Ltd, which continues to serve its customers throughout the country, especially London and the South East. J&M and its associated businesses and brands are fully regulated and authorised by the FCA.

“During our 37-year history serving the public and private community, we have experienced - and successfully navigated - occasional periods of extreme market volatility. However, this unprecedented level of disruption has resulted in an extremely demanding period, with the business having received over 20,000 calls since Wednesday 9th May.

“Nonetheless our long-term commitment to delivering excellence to the public and private hire industry is unwavering. Whilst we recognise that the situation has caused many taxi drivers unnecessary anxiety as they sought to replace their cover, I am pleased to confirm that we have already arranged alternative cover for over 3,000 Alpha policy holders and we remain absolutely committed to working hard to help each and every individual as soon as we can.

“Getting drivers back to work with the right policy at the right price has been, and remains, our absolute priority and I am pleased to confirm that TfL accept Gefion Insurance as legitimate.

“ I hope that this provides you with a measure of comfort and the peace of mind that insurance with J&M is legitimate, valid and FCA approved.

“Should you require any clarification as to the regulatory position, this information can be confirmed on the FCA website (Unhelpfully, there is a business called Cover My Cab Ltd that is not regulated, but this has, and never has had, anything to do with our Cover My Cab brand. That business ceased trading years ago and we don’t believe it ever sold any insurance, and it has never had any connection to our Group).”

May 17, 2018 at 04:25PM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Gdansk bargain city break from £84pp - incl. 2nts hotel & flights

Summer will soon be with us pirates, so how about enjoying some of Europe's finest city breaks? Gdansk is a picturesque place on the Polish coast, and with a stay at the 3* Dom Muzyka you'll be walking distance from the action of the Old Town. We're looking at heading out in mid-June, when the… Samcana POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Let's all go to the Algarve: 7nts from £133pp incl. 4* hotel & flights

Pirates, park your patootie in Portugal with 7 nights in the Algarve from £136pp including the 4* Quinta Pedra dos Bicos & flights. These cute apartments are the perfect place to chill before taking a walk to the beach or enjoying a dip in the pool. Holiday details: Travel duration: 7 nights (longer or shorter… jcrdawes POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Stylish 4* Croatia mini-break 3nts from £296pp - incl. flights, spa hotel & breakfast

Arrr mateys! Next up we are sending you to Croatia for a luxury stay at the sleek 4* D-Resort Sibenik, flanked by a yacht marina and offering an inviting 220m² swimming pool plus a state-of-the-art spa centre with sweeping views of the Adriatic Sea. Breakfast is included in this deal as well! Details Travel duration:… Cee POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Adults Only 5* Tenerife luxury escape 3nts from £308pp - incl. hotel, flights & breakfast

Ahoy pirates! Tenerife is up next with a luxury escape to the sophisticated 5* Iberostar Sabila in the popular Costa Adeje. Here you can enjoy an Adults Only vibe right on the beach with a host of luxury amenities at your disposal, including a gorgeous infinity pool with Balinese beds, with breakfast included in your… Cee POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

New powers to combat illegal taxi and private hire activity in London

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Transport for London’s Taxi and Private Hire Compliance Officers have been granted new powers by the Metropolitan Police to carry out road stops without police presence for the first time. This will enable more enforcement against illegal and non-compliant activity to be carried out, improving the safety of taxi and private hire passengers while freeing up valuable police resources.

TfL’s TPH Compliance Officers are now being specially trained with powers to stop any TPH vehicle for inspection, testing and verification of licensing conditions without the presence of police – this could include checking for valid insurance, inspecting the driver’s licence or photo ID, and inspecting the vehicle for any defects. For the first time compliance officers will have the powers to pull a driver off the road and stop them driving if they’re breaching their licence.The new powers will help deal with the rapid growth of the capital’s private hire industry, which has seen an increase from 59,000 licensed drivers in 2009/10 to around 113,000. The new powers also allow officers to better tackle private hire vehicles that have been licensed by another authority, known as cross-border hiring, and address the increased safety risk that such private hire vehicles can pose.Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said “The safety of Londoners is my number-one priority, and with the growth of the private hire industry in London it is essential we give our compliance officers real powers to clamp down on illegal activity, and take action against unsafe and unlicensed vehicles. The majority of taxi and private hire drivers provide a good and safe service for Londoners, but drivers who haven’t got a valid licence or are breaching the terms of their licence shouldn’t be on London’s streets.

“Having increased the number of compliance officers across London last year, I’m delighted they will now have the powers to pull over vehicles and take action against drivers breaking the rules and putting the safety of Londoners at risk.”Following a successful trial at Heathrow, with over 800 vehicles checked, TPH Compliance Officer-led enforcement will increasingly take place across London as more officers are trained in the Community Safety and Accreditation Scheme (CSAS). With the enhanced powers, six or more TPH Compliance Officers can cordon off a ‘stop’ area to pull over a vehicle and undertake safety checks. Stops are carried out as quickly as possible so if there are any passengers on board, they are not held up unnecessarily. It is an offence under the Road Traffic Act if a driver a fails to stop when directed by a CSAS-accredited officer, which may lead to a criminal conviction and TPH licensing action being taken.Steve Burton, TfL's Director of Enforcement and On-Street Operations, said: “Our Compliance Officers are at the forefront of combatting unsafe and unlicensed taxi and private hire drivers, who not only pose a serious risk to passenger safety, but undermine licensed, law abiding drivers. These new powers will allow officers to stop and check vehicles without the police present, which will significantly increase levels of enforcement so we can robustly deal with dangerous drivers and vehicles.” These new powers are part of the Mayor of London’s Taxi and Private Hire Action Plan, which includes a range of far-reaching improvements that will drive up standards, boost the quality of service for Londoners and will help deliver the greenest taxi fleet in the world.As part of our efforts to strengthen our enforcement approach we will also be making more effective use of our powers to prosecute drivers and operators for illegal and non-compliant TPH activity. The increase in the number of compliance officers has significantly increased our capacity to detect driver, vehicle and operator non-compliance. As a result we are putting systems in place to ensure that appropriate enforcement action is taken on all offences reported by TPH Compliance officers where evidence supports this.Inspector Jas Sandhu from the Met’s Taxi and Private Hire Policing Team, said: “These new powers under CSAS will give TfL the resilience to conduct more spontaneous road stops which will help enforcement against illegal and non-compliant activity in the trade.”

May 17, 2018 at 12:21PM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Cyprus sizzler: 7nts family holiday in July from £208pp incl. hotel & flights

Pirates, if you're looking for inspiration for your summer holidays, hit up this deal: 7 nights in Cyprus in peak-season July from £208pp including the 3* Marion Hotel & flights. This rate is based on a family of four, but you can change the amount of people and time of year to suit your needs.… jcrdawes POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Hotel misprice: 4* Laura Ashley designer hotel from £5 per night

Ahoy mateys! Drop what you are doing and check this out. We've stumbled over a crazy cheap rate over at the top-rated 4* Laura Ashley Hotel in Elstree, Hertfordshire for as little as £5 per night! You can stay on other selected dates in July, August and October for £85 per night, which works out… Cee POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Lux in Bucks: Cosy 5* UK inn from under £30pppn

Pirates, for a spot of country comfort, head into rural Bucks, UK (only a 33-minute bus from Maidenhead) and enjoy an overnight stay at the 5* Olde Bell Hotel from £30pppn. Add breakfast for two to your booking with the room rate from £75pn (it's cheaper to add breakfast through the room rate with Booking.com,… jcrdawes POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Mega cheap Crete last minute group getaway from £175pp - 14nts hotel, flights, bags & transfers

Pirates, how about dropping everything and heading to Greece with your mateys for 2 weeks of sunshine and relaxation or partying we should say. This holiday in Crete is under £180 each based on a group of 4 and there is a code you can use to save £50. Holiday details Travel duration: 14 nights… Lola POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Last minute 2 week Turkey break from just £142pp - incl. flights, aparthotel, breakfast & bags

Wowza pirates, there are last minute bargains to be had when you browse our Package Finder! We just spotted an offer for a whopping 2 weeks in Turkey, with accommodation, flights, breakfast, luggage and airport transfers included for this price! There are limited dates at this price at the end of May, so still a… Samcana POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Migrate to Malta for the winter: 7nts from £170pp incl. 4* hotel & flights

The early pirate gets the deal: snap up a great price for 7 nights in Malta from only £170pp including the 4* Solana Hotel & Spa & flights. By visiting off-season, you can enjoy Malta's balmy Mediterranean climate, blue waters and rich cultural history for a bargain basement price. Holiday details: Travel duration: 7 nights… jcrdawes POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Feelin' funky in Mexico: 7nts in hotel w/ roof top pool, breakfast, flights & luggage from £627pp

For those Pirates wanting to get away from the huge resorts that are all too common in Mexico and want a stay that's a little different, this one is for you. Jet off to the beaches of Cancun this summer and lap up the funky surroundings of the 4* Aloft Cancun. This quirky hotel lies… GemUK POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Russian taxi drivers attack Yandex offices over fees increase

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Irate Russian taxi drivers showed their anger towards ride-hailing app Yandex in Moscow this week as the firm raised driver fees to 30%.

Yandex, Russia’s biggest car service who recently merged with Uber, brought in the new commission fees back in March which pushed many drivers to boycott the app.

Video footage and photos were placed on social media showing a smoke bomb activated at the offices of Yandex.According to one source, The Moscow Times, leaflets were disturbuted in the area saying “Yandex.Taxi are bloodsuckers! Taxi drivers aren’t sheep!”

May 16, 2018 at 08:03PM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Travelodge summer sale: Hotel stays across the UK from £13pppn

Plotting a staycation pirates? With the latest Travelodge sale, you can find hotel deals up and down the land with prices that start at £13 per person per night! These prices are valid on certain dates and certain properties (see below) throughout the rest of the year. There will be limited rooms available at these… Samcana POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Majorca 4* All inclusive holiday from £381pp - incl. IBEROSTAR hotel, flights & spa discounts

Ahoy mateys! It's back again: this great all inclusive holiday to the top-rated Adults Only haven 4* IBEROSTAR Suites Jardin del Sol in Majorca. This stylish resort is situated in a picture perfect location in Santa Ponsa a short stroll from the beach, offering several luxe outdoor pools, a spa and a Japanese restaurant amongst… Cee POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Have a Wales of a time this summer: 4* Cardiff spa hotel from £32.50pppn - incl. some weekends

If you fancy a staycation somewhere different this summer mateys, why not try Wales? We've unearthed barrrgain rates at a stylish 4* spa hotel in Cardiff that starts from as little as £32.50 per person, per night, based on 2 sharing. This includes selected weekend nights throughout June, July and August, so you could even… Niamh_UK POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

All inclusive 4* Costa Brava getaway from £119pp - incl. 3-7nts hotel & flights

Pirates, treat yourselves to a seaside jaunt to the beautiful Costa Brava coastline with this package from TourCenter! You'll be staying in a lush 4* beachfront hotel on an all inclusive basis - meaning you can fully concentrate on relaxing! Flights are included. Departures are available between June and October, with the best bargains to… Samcana POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

When we had a massive problem with licensed and unlicensed minicabs forming their own ranks outside clubs and bars, because of TfL’s lack of enforcement, drivers took it upon themselves to do something about it. 

Tiger Tiger and the OnAnon bars were surrounded every night by Minicabs claiming that had the right to rank outside because Dismond Cars held a satilite office licence. Disgruntaled Cabbies felt enough was enough, and so reformed hit squads -groups of vigilante Taxi drivers-  which proved to be very effective. 

As the illegal minicab ranks started to appear outside clubs and bars, hit squads blocked in the touts and took back the work. The militant groups of drivers stopped the work being stolen.

Back in 2014, troubles re-emerges and so black cab drivers again took the law into their own hands by targeting illegal minicabs in London's West End. The problem was highlighted in the BBC  Inside Out programme. (See video below)

Cabbies again formed squads, the most militant being ‘The TaG (Twitter Action Group) Hit Squad. track down illegal drivers and roadblock them, as they seek to preserve their night-time trade. 

By the end of 2015, we saw the rise of the more organised hit squad (The Mayfair Mob) Their action in itself, saw many more ranks appear. Drivers showed a black cab presence was required outside restaurants and bars such as Hakassan, Nobu, Novikovs, The Arts Club and Forge in the City Of London. 

But now we have a serious problem that could split the trade in half. A problem that could hasten the demise of our right to ply for hire. 

AND IT APPEARS THE FIGHT HAS GONE OUT IF THE TRADE.

Sitting on Taxi ranks at stations, hotels, bars and restaurants, Cabbies are seeing black cabs (most with livery from Gett or MyTaxi) pull up and spirit away jobs that should be going in the waiting Cabs plying for hire on the rank. 

We’ve even seen Minicabs working on the same app (Gett) as Taxis!

One Taxi garage owner has recently removed Gett livery from all his rental Cabs and the London Cab Drivers Club (LCDC) have refused to carry Gett’s adverts in their Badge publication. 

But things are starting to come to a head as we are hearing or violent arguments outside bars and restaurants, between ranking drivers and Gett drivers. 

TAXI LEAKS EXTRA BIT: 

It has now been bought to our attention that HEATHROW airport are about to introduce a turn up and go service later this summer, to facilitate the increase in app pick ups. Drivers on prebookings from MyTaxi, Gett, Addison Leeand Uber, will be allowed to go straight to terminals to pick up. 

Again we will be seeing drivers on Taxi apps jumping the queue and taking work away from drivers who have legitimately waited on a rank system. 

With Taxis already doing 5 hours in the feeder the waiting time for a job could be very much extended. 

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