Man pleads guilty to racially abusing Taxi driver in Hartlepool

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A 49 year old man has been given an 18 month community order and must undertake 22 rehabilitation activity days after being found guilty of the racially aggravated abuse of a taxi driver in Hartlepool.Paul Keers had spent the day drinking after attending a funeral when he attempted to catch a taxi home. Because of the state he was in, the driver refused the journey which sent Keers into an abusive frenzy. Keers was heard by police calling the driver of the taxi a "p*** b******". The police arrested Keers and said that he continued to shout abuse throughout his time in a police cell. During his trial at Teesside Magistrates Court, the driver said Keers was abusive towards him because of his colour and said that he was told to "go back home" during the verbal onslaught. Keers was also accused of kicking the door of the taxi. According to a report in the Teesside Live, a police officer was flagged down by a member of public and the arrest was made. Keers was taken to Hartlepool police station and later transferred to a cell in Middlesbrough. Keers denied kicking the car door but did admit using racist language. He added that he was panicking with anxiety and suffers from a delusional disorder. Along with his community order, Keers was also ordered to pay £805 in costs.

July 10, 2018 at 12:09PM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Santorini sizzler: 7nt autumn holiday from £262pp - incl. flights & breakfast

Because it's winding up for the year, late season (September or October) is one of the most affordable times to visit Santorini. Peak season holidays on this hugely popular Greek Island can often run into the high £800's. Take, for example, this deal we found on our holidays finder from just £262 per person, based… Niamh_UK POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Dubai long weekend from just £409pp - incl. 4nts hotel & flights

Give yourselves something to look forward to this autumn with a long weekend in decadent Dubai! Our Holiday Finder is coming up with some tantalizing fares for short trips to this incredible destination. September is the cheapest time to depart. Direct flights are included with this deal, alongside 4 nights at the Carlton Palace Hotel.… Samcana POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Controversial Manchester Airport Drop-Off Charges Come Into Force Today

Controversial drop-off charges at Manchester Airport come into force on Tuesday. 

Drivers dropping passengers off will be charged £3 for five-minute stays, or £4 for 10-minute stays.

Alternatively motorists can use a free drop-off area and catch a shuttle bus to the correct terminal, but that’s located at the current Jetparks 1 site, which is near to Terminal 2.

From the free drop-off area, shuttle buses with journey times ranging from five to seven minutes, depending on the terminal, will run.

Manchester Airport (Image: Martin Rickett/PA Wire)

Buses will run 24 hours a day with marshals on hand to assist passengers and drivers.

Airport bosses have been accused of ‘getting every last penny from passengers’ but they insisted the tariff policy was needed to ease congestion.

Charges at Liverpool John Lennon Airport (JLA) remain lower, with the 'express drop off & pick up' site charging £3 for up to 20 minutes, jumping to £10 for up to an hour.

JLA also has a drop-off point free for 40 minutes around 10 minutes' walk from the terminal.

Liverpool John Lennon Airport. (Image: Colin Lane)

The Manchester move is set to mean holiday-makers paying more for taxis to Manchester airport, as drivers would have to charge them to recover the drop-off costs, although a concession card is available for private hire drivers.

Blue badge holders are allowed to drop off outside of the terminals free of charge.

The chargeable drop-off areas are located directly outside each terminal building at departures level.

There is no change to arrangements for picking people up, with those collecting passengers asked to park in the car parks at each terminal, which cost £4 for 30 minutes.

The airport said on its website: “The changes that we are introducing only impact those dropping-off.

“The process for picking-up passengers remains the same – passengers can be picked-up in the arrivals car parks and multi-storey car parks with a charge of £4 for 30 minutes.

“We will have staff on hand to direct those dropping-off and picking-up to the right places.”

Airport bosses say more passengers, security rules around forecourt capacity and limited space has led to extreme congestion, especially at peak times.

They added that profits would go towards a new public transport fund being set up by the airport with the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, Transport for Greater Manchester and Cheshire East Council, supporting measures to improve access for both staff and passengers who use public transport

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Controversial Manchester Airport Drop-Off Charges Come Into Force Today

Late summer Sunny Beach break from £225pp - incl. 7nts resort & flights

Pirates, get yourselves some sunshine and beach time this summer at one of the sunniest beaches around - Sunny Beach! This deal from our Holiday Finder will see you staying at Esperanto, just 300 metres from the beautiful Black Sea. Flights are also included in this deal. The cheapest time to depart is late-August -… Samcana POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Karhoo announce integrated network of over 50,000 vehicles has joined its UK network

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Ride-hailing app Karhoo unveiled that it is now integrated with over 50,000 vehicles making it one of the largest UK open networks.

Having signed with over 300 Taxi and PHV companies across the UK, representing a total of 51,000 cars, the news marks a significant milestone in Karhoo’s ride-hailing expansion. The firm brings together even more regulated, licensed taxi and private hire vehicle (PHV) fleets from around the world onto its electronic platform.Karhoo announced integrations with Autocab, Cab Guru, Haulmont, iCabbi and Magenta Technology with others almost finished.Karhoo partners with legally accredited fleets and allows its customers to compare choices based on their own criteria whether it be brand, price, ETA, type of vehicle or other services. Karhoo hopes to become the largest platform of taxis and private hire vehicles in the world.The host of new fleets, large and small, now integrating with Karhoo will benefit from the increased demand provided by Karhoo’s platform, as well as the chance to secure access to major contracts through Karhoo’s fleet partners.Karhoo Co-CEO Boris Pilchowski said:“In 2018, people expect and deserve as much choice as possible when it comes to booking a cab. By working with all of the major DMS partners, our customers will now have a range of options, the expanse of which has never before been seen in the ridesharing sector.”

July 10, 2018 at 08:15AM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Bargain Berlin: 2nt city break from just £75pp - incl. flights & well-located hotel

Party pirates, it's time to join the cool kids with a trip to Berlin! We're eyeing up a stay at Motel Plus Berlin, well situated in Neukolln - the trendiest neighbourhood of Europe's trendiest city! Book this package over at Expedia and your flights are included, along with ATOL protection. The cheapest time to getaway… Samcana POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Councils to be offered funding for low emission taxis

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Councils are to be offered funding to assist in establishing charging points for low emission taxis.

£6 million has been ring-fenced, in what is the second phase of a £20 million commitment from the government to ensure that the taxi industry has a viable infrastructure.

This latest phase is aimed at making funding more accesible for local councils, negating the need for feasibility studies when bidding for funds.

With a view to stimulating the low emission taxi market, the government announced last March that new, zero emission capable taxis would be vehicle excise duty exempt.

July 10, 2018 at 05:56AM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

ITA To Pick Up The Baton (Again) As Trade Fails To Act...Met's Contact Centre, Just Window Dressing

During the recent TfL vs Uber appeals trial, Uber's QC claimed that former Uber employee, Jo Bertram lied to the court during a previous employment trial, to help the case.

This is perjury....This is a fact.....

Will the @UKSFO be looking into this?

Or do We as a trade have to make a formal complaint?

These are questions asked by London Taxi Driver Lenny Etheridge on the social media platform Twitter.

Lenny, using the reply facility to the Metropolitan Police claim that their Twitter account is for non-emergency enquires said:

"The question was asked on 29th June 2018 at 12:01 pm.

So far, the Met have refused to answer".

It appears the claim from the Metropolitan Police is an empty one.

It seems their Twitter account is just window dressing, and the @metpoliceuk wonder why they're losing touch with the public.

It's not as if the Twitter account has been rushed off its feet!

As London's Taxi orgs have failed to pick up the gauntlet on behalf of their 10,000 odd subscribers, the Independent Taxi Association (ITA) which is driver led and has no paid representatives, have once again picked up the baton. 

The ITA have issued this statement today:

ITA Press release, our intentions.

We will get a few of hundred drivers to queue outside a prominent London Police Station to individually make a formal complaint against Uber and Jo Bertram for perverting the course of justice.

1. The meter case.

2. The employment case.

#Perjury 

TAXI LEAKS EXTRA BIT :

At the top of this post is a statement, made by Rosa Parks.

This beautiful soul stood up against a lot more than we face today.

She had the strength and grace to face more than most of us could ever imagine possible.

Because she had right on her side.

We have right on our side!

Fight now, or forever "give up your seat" to the oppressor 

Lenny Etheridge.

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Cycle superhighway to stay OPEN during Embankment closure

TfL has revealed that cycle superhighways will remain open during major roadworks on the Victoria Embankment from April 2019.

The closure of the Embankment, expected to last up to six months, is needed in order to move two gas mains to make way for London’s new super-sewer.

But while motor traffic is due to be diverted south along heavily congested Southwark Street, TfL has assured cyclists that the east-west and north-south cycle routes will remain unaffected.

A TfL spokesperson told Cyclist magazine: “we kept the cycle superhighway as a priority” during the planning process.

The City of London Corporation is said to be “really concerned” at the plans, with members of the Corporation’s streets and walkways subcommittee kicking up a big fuss at an emergency meeting on July 2.

At the meeting councillors suggested that traffic should be moved onto the cycle lanes during the works and the lanes routed elsewhere.

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Police appeal after Essex minicab driver beaten and robbed at knifepoint by two passengers

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A private hire driver was beaten and robbed by two male passengers in Loughton during the early hours of Sunday July 8. The driver who operates out of Chigwell picked up two men, one described as black, of medium build and in his early 20s and the other, also black, slim and in his mid to late teens, in Loughton. The journey soon took a turn for the worse when one of the suspects threatened the driver with a knife. The other suspect then punched his victim in the head before they made away with his vehicle. Officers are appealing for any witnesses that may have information surrounding the incident to call them on 101 quoting the crime reference number 42/96439/18. Alternatively you can contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. The incident took place at the junction of Luxborough Lane and High Road at around 1:15am Sunday July 8.

July 09, 2018 at 10:53PM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Majorca group getaway from £197pp - 6nts top rated hotel & flights (2 share £246pp)

Ahoy pirates, fancy a sneaky getaway to Magaluf with your squad? Check out this Majorca holiday where you will stay for 6 nights - longer stays possible. You will stay in an adults only, award winning hotel rated number 3 from all the hotels in Magaluf. This holiday is bookable with a £49 per person… Lola POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Mexican winter warmer: 7nts all inclusive luxury from £834pp incl. flights & suite w/ whirlpool

Sack of the inevitable grey clouds of the UK this winter and instead head out to the golden beaches of Mexico. While you're at it, treat yourself to a suite with it's own private whirlpool! Because you deserve a treat! Indulge in the 4* beachfront location of the Dreams Villamagna hotel where the all inclusive… GemUK POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

The cave life chose us: Family stay in N. Irish underground chalet from £30pppn flights from £28

Looking for a staycation with something a little different, well why not go underground - literally - with these 'man made cave chalets'? Yes such a thing does exist, in Northern Ireland. Jet off (or jump in the car) to enjoy this quirky accommodation with the whole family - with dates through out the summer… GemUK POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

La Dolce Vita: 6nt trip to Venice, Florence & Rome from £169pp - incl. hotels, flights & trains

Pirates, enjoy the best of Bella Italia with this scorching offer from TourCenter! This deal offers 3-in-1 fun - you'll be visiting Rome, Venice and Florence for a total of 6 nights. Flights are included from several UK airports, as well as a great hotel in each city and train transfers to get you around… Samcana POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

2-4nt Les Villages Nature® Paris family break from £159pp - incl. Disney® park entry & flights/train

Treat the family to a bit of magic with this amazing deal to Les Villages Nature® Paris from MagicBreaks! This package includes Disney® Park tickets, accommodation at Les Villages Nature Paris as well as transport via Eurotunnel, flight or Eurostar. This deal is available from now until November, with some of the cheapest departures in… Samcana POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

9,000 out of 10,000 drivers in Singapore switch to Grab from Uber

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It's been revealed that 9000 oit of 10,000 drivers, who were working exclusively on the Uber platform in Singapore have switched across to Grab.

The figure comes in the wake of the recent Uber-Grab deal. Ubers 300 employees who were displaced by the deal and have not been taken on by Grab will be compensated.

The Uber employees were given three months paid leave, as Grab attempted to find them suitable employment within the company.

It has also been reported that the National Private Hire Vehicles Association and the National Taxi Association are assisting drivers with any contractual disputes or outstanding payments due.

Singapore's Competition and Consumer Commission recently laid out plans to promote competition within the marketplace after the Uber Grab deal., they have also proposed fining both companies for entering into the deal.

July 09, 2018 at 04:15PM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Flights to beautiful Budapest from £35 return

Pirates, we have found these great flights for you, you will fly to beautiful Budapest with these bargain flights for just £35! There are a choice of dates in September - be quick these prices are sure not to last long! Use our flights finder for all other options! Flight details Direct flights Departures from… Lola POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

350 electric black cabs now on the road

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LEVC, the electric vehicle company responsible for transforming the iconic black cab, had announced that it now has 350 range extended electric taxis on the road across the UK. This includes just over 300 vehicles being operated in London.In December 2017, LEVC revealed its intention to revolutionise the taxi sector and introduced the first range extended electric vehicle onto London’s streets. Since then, these electric black cabs have covered thousands of green miles.

Over the course of a calendar year, these 350 taxis are expected to:

Cover 10.7 million miles, a distance equivalent to going to the moon and back 20 times.Save their owners £1.8m in fuel costsWill reduce CO2 emissions from the taxi sector by 2,450 tonnes

These benefits are not restricted to London - electric taxis are now a familiar sight around the UK, with cabbies in Birmingham, Coventry, Manchester, Liverpool, Nottingham and Sheffield now driving these vehicles. The vehicle is also on sale in Germany, Holland and Norway.Completely redesigned with the customer in mind, the TX offers passengers a premium experience in an electrically driven vehicle. Packing on-board wi-fi, phone and laptop charging, it is every inch the mobile office while the more spacious and comfortable space includes six seats and class-leading wheelchair accessibility.Chris Gubbey, CEO of LEVC said:“We’re proud to have reached this milestone. Electric vehicles are the future and this is a big step towards improving air quality across the UK. The new cab also provides both passengers and drivers with an enhanced experience. Not only does it deliver state-of-the-art connectivity and experience for the passenger, but the quieter, smoother vehicle offers drivers a relaxing environment, which has been proven to reduce stress levels.”Cab drivers based in London benefit from 52 dedicated rapid chargers which are set aside for their use, Transport for London have committed to installing 90 of these units by the end of 2018.

July 09, 2018 at 03:12PM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT