London Taxi Maker Geely LEVC, Joins Brexit Chorus

Traditional London black cab maker, the Geely owned London EV Company, has also warned about the impact that a hard Brexit could have on business, with its chairman saying it could dismantle Britain's rejuvenated car industry.

Reuters noted Jaguar Land Rover, the UK's biggest automaker and employer, had said earlier a so-called hard Brexit would cost it GBP1.2bn (US$1.59bn) a year, curtailing its future operations in the UK.

"What we really worry about is if there are big difficulties transporting goods via the [English] Channel, whether it's increased costs, or anything else," LEVC chairman Carl-Peter Forster told Reuters in Berlin at the launch of its electric taxi in Germany.

"Even with no tariffs, lorries could still be stuck at the border for days," he said, highlighting how the industry relied on frictionless supply chains to transport components and assembled vehicles back and forth across the channel.

Chief executive Chris Gubbey told Reuters 33% of LEVC's suppliers are in the UK, another third in Europe and the rest elsewhere worldwide.

Reuters noted LEVC spent GBP300m (US$398m) on a new plant in Ansty near Coventry when it made the shift to electric vehicles, the first new automotive plant to be built in Britain in over a decade.

Forster said "if the wrong decision is made" people should have no illusions about the extent of the impact on Britain's car industry which has been undergoing a revival in terms of manufacturing in recent years.

"You won't see it overnight, it's a process that will take 10-15 years.... It would be madness to wake up in the morning in London and read in the papers that there are virtually no carmakers in Britain, it would be a real shame," he told Reuters.

Forster was speaking as LEVC launched the electric version of the traditional black London taxi cab in Germany, where the market is dominated by Daimler's Mercedes, in which Geely also owns a 10% stake.

LEVC hopes that the electric taxi, which is available in the more typical beige colour of German taxi cabs, will find takers as a debate about clean air and urban mobility rages, Reuters said.

The automaker is close to finalising a deal with also Geely-owned Volvo for sales and servicing in Germany.

Gubbey said LEVC was looking to sell hundreds, rather than thousands, of taxis in Germany and wasn't seeing Brexit having any impact on negotiations with potential customers.

Along with the Netherlands, Norway and now Germany, LEVC is also in negotiations in France and has plans to expand to customers outside of Europe from next year, particularly in the UAE, Australia, Singapore and China, Reuters added.

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Geely warns against hard Brexit

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The Chairman of Geely, owners of LEVC, has waded into the hard or soft Brexit conundrum by saying that a hard Brexit could cause Britain's motor industry to collapse.

This comment comes on the back of Jaguar Land Rover claiming that a hard Brexit would cost the company over £1 billion per annum.

The cost of transportation across the channel as well as lorries being stuck at the border have been identified as an issue by LEVC chairman, Carl-Peter Forster.

Forster has expressed concerns over the long-term impact a hard Brexit could have, believing that it may only take ten to fifteen years for the car industry to disappear in the UK.

LEVC is looking to expand into France, as well as the UAE, Australia, Singapore and China.

July 07, 2018 at 12:24PM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Super luxury Scottish lodge group stay: 4nts from £107pp w/ hot tub & sauna (sleeps up to 10)

Grab a slice of Scottish luxury with this stunning countryside lodge. Sleeping up to 10 people, whether it's a group getaway for your mates or you're looking for somewhere to hold a family reunion the hot tub, sauna and pool table will ensure that everyone has a great stay! No one is left behind either,… GemUK POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Taxi Leaks Withstands Hacking Attempts And Is Back Up And Running

After a couple of days down time... Taxi Leaks, in association with London Taxi Radio are back up and running,

As we posted last week, the Taxi Leaks Blog have been the target of malicious attacks which have made it quite difficult to keep up our standard of posting.

We know where most of these attacks and potential hacking come from, so therefore we have taken measures to secure our place on all social media platforms and in fact have also branched out into other fields....but more about that later.

One of our problems we believe -facing not only us but every driver posting on social media- is allegedly coming from the Twitter police team, currently working away for TfLTPH. Anyone can be "targeted" by Tfl for anything.... but obtaining a clear judgement by their legal teams... is very different.

 Tfl employees (directors, managers, and others) dislike criticism and take offence very easily, so its not surprising they are behind the scenes scheming and plotting.

In Britain, we still live in a society where we can voice our opinions freely and without fear of twisted retribution in the name of a legal definition "fit and proper person" argument and Tfl know only too well a suspension or revocation will attract a legal challenge and scrutiny if only once on this subject delivering judgement surrounding this clear attempt to close down dissent or critique in UK law under the auspice of the rights of freedom of speech law.

I really wouldn't worry too much about what is voiced on social media if it is presented as either a "question" or a "checked and proven fact"

If this principle is adhered to, there is never going to be any chance of Tfl's underhanded involvement as they will have neither any legal argument or right to be in any position to involve themselves as self righteous regulators of taxi driver trade press or social media commentary remembering their (us) clients pay licensing fees into their bank account and the use of our funds to follow a fanciful argument is a dead end argument. 

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Amsterdam autumn city break from £99pp - incl. 2nts boutique hotel & flights

If summer for beaches, autumn is the time for city breaks pirates! We never get bored of laid back Amsterdam, especially when we get to stay in chic properties like Hotel Not Hotel. The cheapest time to getaway is November, and you'll find departures in other months below. Holiday Details Direct return flights London -… Samcana POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

England fan charged £107 for £10 trip home after Uber leave the meter running

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A furious Uber passenger was left stunned after minicab app Uber charged him £107 for a journey to Luton – despite being in Chiswick eating a pizza at home in London.Cheapskate Nick Brownridge traveled to Lancaster Gate via the tube after watching England beat Colombia on penalties and then ordered a low cost minicab for the five-mile trip back to Chiswick where he lives. However, he like many before him was left stunned when he found out that Uber had charged £107 for a 40-mile trip to Luton in the early hours of the same night. Nick, spoke to The Sun Online and said: “I had just watched the England game and booked an Uber from the tube station to my flat.“I got out in Chiswick and bought a pizza. I woke up the next day and saw I had been charged £107.“The driver hadn’t ended the trip and he arrived in Luton at 2am and I was charged for the whole journey.”Uber were reluctant to refund the journey and only after The Sun asked for a statement did Uber agree to refund the amount charged.An Uber spokesman said: “We’re sorry to hear about this. We have of course refunded the passenger and are investigating exactly what happened.“Riders always get an emailed receipt from Uber, so if an issue ever arises it can be easily fixed.”

July 07, 2018 at 10:44AM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Absolutely gorgeous Croatian 4nt break from £226pp incl. flights, hotel & breakfast

Fancy some time away from the kids, or maybe you just want a getaway without little ones running around? Well then the 5* Hotel Meliá Coral boasts oozes luxury from inside it's wellness centre with sauna and hot tubs to it's beachfront exterior. For 4 nights you'll be on a B&B basis in October where… GemUK POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

GMB and Addison Lee latest to slam proposed changes to congestion charges by TfL

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The GMB union and private hire firm Addison Lee are the latest to slam TfL proposal to change London congestion charge scheme by removing exemption for private hire drivers.

The proposed changes are seen as another attack on the private hire trade, a trade that is on a race to the bottom with ever decreasing rates and increased overheads, says GMB LondonBoth groups have raised concerns over the new proposals from TfL, that would see changes to London’s congestion charge scheme, including the removal of private hire vehicle (PHV) exemption from the charge.An Integrated Impact Assessment from TfL stated that they are considering the proposal to remove the PHV exemption from 8 April 2019 onwards.PHVs which are designated as wheelchair accessible will continue to be exempt from the charge under the proposed changes.Simon Rush, GMB Professional Drivers Branch Secretary said:“We at the branch always suspected that TfL would bring out a consultation on removal of our congestion charge exemption, as yet another way to cover the shortfall of their income as central government has removed a large amount of funding.“This is yet another attack on the private hire trade, a trade that is on a race to the bottom with ever decreasing rates and increased overheads.“The driver, not the operators, will bear the brunt of the cost as the operator will not want to pass this cost on to the public.“It’s a restriction of trade, it's unfair to the trade, and it's discriminatory as it’s not been currently passed to London’s black taxi trade. We predict that in the future this is likely to be passed to the taxi trade.“We have told TfL that if we see such a consultation we will grind London to a halt. That time has now come!“We cannot allow our members and wider trade to fund an extra expense of up to £57.50 a week and if you include older pay, the so-called toxic charge of 12.50 a week, this will decimate the trade and leave the public vulnerable to touts and other illegal activity.”Steve Garelick, GMB Regional Officer said:“Despite constant explanations of why this is a tax on drivers, we believe the authorities intend to steam roller this legislation through at all costs.”

Andy Boland, Addison Lee Group’s CEO said: ‘This move suggests that London isn’t open. Removing the exemption for private hire vehicles is a revenue-raising measure thinly disguised as an environmental initiative which will have no impact on congestion and will do nothing for air quality.He added: ‘It will hit drivers and operators in the pocket at a time when the industry should be investing in electric vehicles and charging points to make a genuine impact on London’s environment.’

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Minicab driver takes a dump on Derby driveway

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Caught short?! Not really news, but a bit of ‘cheeky’ humour! Private hire driver takes a sneaky poo in the middle of a road unaware he's being caught on camera. What was he thinking?!Don't watch while you're eating supper!

July 06, 2018 at 10:25PM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI Michael Murphy THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

4* Design hotel in central Brussels from £26pppn - incl. sauna & gym access

We know you pirates are a stylish bunch, so when we saw some great rates for the Radisson RED in central Brussels we just had to share. This eco-conscious hotel takes inspiration from art, fashion and music. Guest rooms here have pop art on the walls and huge windows that overlook the city. Each room… Samcana POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

London Assembly urge Sadiq Khan to use Emergency Powers to push through pedestrianisation of Oxford Street

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London Mayor Sadiq Khan has been urged by the London Assembly to consider using so-called "emergency powers" to push through the pedestrianisation of Oxford Street after Westminster Council decided to scrap the plans following a backlash from residents within the area had concerns regarding noise and pollution caused from diverted traffic. Members of the London Assembly agreed on Thursday 5, a motion calling on Khan to consider pushing forward with the project regardless. The motions comes under the Greater London Authority Act (GLA) 1999. Assembly member Caroline Russell has stressed her disappointment with the decision by Westminster council to deny the proposal, raising concerns of "clogged" traffic causing pollution which is making shopping an unpleasant experience. The motion within the Greater London Authority Act allows the Mayor of London to take over any road in London with the consent of the borough, or more importantly in this case, the government.

Lib Dem member Caroline Pidgeon believes Oxford Street would die as a global shopping destination if the plans to ban all vehicles were not to be approved. According to a report in City A.M, Sadiq Khan has warned Westminster council that if they can not come up with a suitable alternative he will be "mindful" of what funding he will issue to them for future projects. £8 million had already been invested in the abandoned project.

July 06, 2018 at 07:28PM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI Michael Murphy THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Return flights to Hong Kong from £338 return - incl. bags

Frommer's calls Hong Kong a "feast for the senses". Upon arrival you'll be hit with many delicious smells, strange sounds and vivid colours but that's all part of the fun of this furious metropolis. Lose yourself to this fantastic city by getting super cheap flights starting from as little as £336 return. These Air China… Niamh_UK POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Luxurious stay in Ireland's 'Leading spa resort' from £84pppn incl. breakfast - flights from £32

It's time to pop over the Irish sea Pirates, because this award winning spa hotel is worth the journey. The 4* Inchydoney Island Lodge & Spa is a stunning accommodation right on the beach looking out on to the Atlantic ocean. You will stay in a super plush room with a terrace and be treated… GemUK POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Magical Mykonos late season holiday from £238pp - 3nts 4* hotel, breakfast & flights

Ahoy pirates, time for a bit of Mykonos, we have come across this great getaway with breakfast included each morning of your stay. The Mykonos holiday is for 3 nights but you can choose to stay longer if you wish - and why not! Holiday details Travel duration: 3 nights (longer stays possible) Example date:… Lola POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Wunder-bargains! Germany flights from £12rtn (Cologne, Berlin, Hamburg & more)

Pirates, get yourselves a late season treat with these bargain fares to Germany! We've spotted great prices on flights to Berlin, Hamburg, Cologne and more! The cheapest time to travel is early September, when temperatures are still great for a city break. We've added departures from London, Manchester and Bristol. Offer Details Cheap flights to… Samcana POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

All aboard: Virgin Trains First Class seat sale from £17 one way

All aboard pirates! If you're looking to visit friends/ family or just fancy a great British staycation this August, Virgin Trains have launched a great sale on a number of their West Coast routes. Journeys between London and Birmingham start at just £17 each way - but what's more on a first class ticket you… GemUK POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Early 2019 5nt cruise from Savona to Naples, Bari, Dubrovnik & Venice from £189pp incl. full board

Pirates, we are seeing cruises become more and more popular, so get it quick to grab them before everyone catches on and the prices hike up. This cruise departs early 2019, departs from Savona in Italy, visits Naples, Bari before heading to Dubrovnik in Croatia and then stopping in Venice. You can add your own… Lola POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

IWGB union says lifting congestion charge exemption for minicabs in London will punish precarious workers and give Uber a free pass

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IWGB union says lifting congestion charge exemption for minicabs in London will punish precarious workers and give Uber a free pass

Transport for London today launched a public consultation on measures to reduce traffic and improve air quality in central London. The new proposals would see the exemption from the Congestion Charge for private hire vehicles removed and the introduction of a new Cleaner Vehicle Discount to replace the Ultra Low Emission Discount.It is proposed that these changes would take effect from 8 April 2019, and by ensuring that the emission standard for those receiving a full discount are tighter than the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ), would help to further drive demand for the greenest vehicles.

However, James Farrar, Chair of the private hire drivers branch of the IWGB said: "Lifting the congestion charge exemption will punish some of the poorest and most exploited workers in London while Uber, Addison and their customers continue to get a free ride. Drivers will be forced to work longer hours to cover the additional cost which will worsen rather than ease congestion. The only way to reduce minicab congestion in London is to cap out of control licensing and the Mayor must agree a plan with central government to do so urgently."

July 06, 2018 at 02:18PM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Last minute Mexico beach bargain from £681pp - incl. 7nts all inclusive, flights & transfers

Arriba pirates! Get yourselves out to the fabulous beaches of Mexico with this all inclusive deal from our Package Finder! You'll be staying at the Canto del Sol, located almost right on the caramel sands of Las Glorias Beach in the heart of Puerto Vallarta. Flights are included, as well as luggage, transfers and ATOL… Samcana POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Cuba 2 week all inclusive holiday from £772pp - hotel, flights, luggage & transfers

Ahoy mateys, if Cuba is on your bucket list then maybe this is the deal for you. Head to Cuba for a 2 week break for under £800 per person, which works out at under £60 per person per night! The holiday in Cuba departs in September (more dates available) and even better, you will… Lola POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT