Are we your favourite? 2018 British Travel Awards - Vote for a chance to win 1 of 50 prizes

Pirates! We've been nominated for the Best Online Travel Deals Provider at the British Travel Awards 2018, the travel industry's 'Oscars'. We are super excited but WE NEED YOUR HELP as it's you, the voting public, that gets the final say on who wins, so we'd be a very happy pirate crew if you'd cast… Captain_Niamh POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

London taxi meters set to start at £3 following tariff changes

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Changes to the taxi fares and tariffs in London will see the capital’s taxi service start their meters at £3 come October 2018.

The increase from £2.60 has now been approved by regulators Transport for London and due to come into effect on Saturday 6 October 2018.

Passengers making a mess of the taxi will also see an increase of £20 as the soiling charge rises from £40 to £60.

Other changes approved include:

Increasing Tariff 1 by 0.6 per centIncreasing Tariff 2 by 0.6 per centExtending the fuel charge arrangements until the next taxi fares and tariffs updateIncreasing by 50 pence the fixed fares for shared taxis from Euston Station (with the exception of the Euston Station to Lords Cricket Ground fare)

The following were also approved:The regulator announced a freezing of Tariff 3 and the rate for journeys over six miles (sometimes referred to as Tariff 4).

Ongoing work and research is being conducted to look at fixed and capped fare schemes to and from Heathrow Airport.

August 15, 2018 at 01:14PM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Happy holidays in Halkidiki from £195pp - 7nts great rated hotel, breakfast & flights

Ahoy there pirates, if you are still looking for that bargain getaway then you have stumbled onto the right place. We have found this awesome holiday in Halkidiki for under £200 per person. The weather should be reaching a cosy 19° at this time of year which will be a welcome escape from the October… Lola POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Quebec Is Giving $250 Million In Taxpayer Money To Taxi Drivers Who Have Lost Business Because Of Uber

However, the money is not coming from Uber, the money will be paid to the drivers and Taxi companies direct from public funds.

Ride-sharing companies have quickly come to dominate the taxi market all over the world and have devastated the legitimate licensed taxi trades in many cities.  

Uber has made its services ubiquitous on Saturday nights flooding cities with cars, causing congestion, especially in Montreal, where a young population and booming nightlife have come to rely on ride-shares.

Montreal taxi drivers, have bemoaned this massive change in the industry. The taxi industry has tried repeatedly to get Uber banned from the city. Drivers have staged protests and pursued court cases but to no avail. Uber is her to stay.

For that reason the provincial government of Quebec has decided to offer compensation to taxi drivers whose business has suffered because of Uber.

A whopping total of $250 million in public funds is expected to go to drivers who have seen the value of their permits plummet from hundreds of thousands of dollars to just a few tens of thousands. 

More information is forthcoming from the government.

Many were quick to point out that, like it or not, this is just how capitalism works. New technologies, industries, and markets replace obsolete services. Workers in older industries have to adapt to changing times.

But instead of investing heavily in a transition to the new industry, the government is handing them cash to make up for the declining value of permits. Only $44 million will go toward improving taxi companies to help them compete in changing times.

Taxi drivers deserve secure livelihoods. But is this the best use of public funds? 

Lump sums will not help those drivers in the long term

Source : MTL blog.

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New Tarif Update : Changes Due To Come Into Effect Saturday 6 October 2018

Tariff Update today:

Tariff email from Darren Crowson (TFL) 

Dear All,

Changes to the taxi fares and tariffs have now been approved and the changes are due to come into effect on Saturday 6 October 2018.

The changes approved were:

 *   Increasing the minimum fare from £2.60 to £3.00

 *   Increasing Tariff 1 by 0.6 per cent

 *   Increasing Tariff 2 by 0.6 per cent

 *   Extending the fuel charge arrangements until the next taxi fares and tariffs update

 *   Increasing by 50 pence the fixed fares for shared taxis from Euston Station (with the exception of the Euston Station to Lords Cricket Ground fare)

 *   Increasing the soiling charge from £40.00 to £60.00

The following were also approved:

 *   Freezing Tariff 3

 *   Freezing the tariff rate for journeys over six miles (sometimes referred to as Tariff 4)

 *   Further work and research being conducted to look at fixed and capped fare schemes to and from Heathrow Airport

 *   Adding fares for six passengers sharing to the shared taxi conversion table

·        Requiring all card payment devices approved for use in taxis to accept American Express as well as Visa and MasterCard

Some items discussed when we met or which were included in the consultation document were not taken forward and I'll run through what changed, what wasn't approved or consulted on, and the details of the new tariffs when we meet on Thursday 30 August 2018.

Information for the taximeter companies is now being finalised and I'll send you a copy of this as soon as it is ready.

If you have any questions let me know and I'll either respond by email or collate these and then run through them when we meet.

Regards

Darren Crowson

Policy Manager

Transport for London - Taxi and Private Hire

3rd Floor (3G2), 230 Blackfriars Road

London

SE1 8NW

Tel: 020 3054 2945 (internal 82945)

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Big Apple Bargains: New York flights from £264rtn - incl. Black Friday & Christmas

Jet off to New York for the most magical time of the year pirates - Black Friday! If you'd like to shop til you drop, our Flights Finder has some bargain fares to get you out there. In case you prefer more festive cheer in your Big Apple break, there are plenty of December dates… Samcana POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Direct flights to Southeast Asia from £362 return: Non-stop to Hainan - 'the edge of the world'

The Southeast Asian island of Hainan -- located between Vietnam and the Philippines -- is known as the 'edge of the world' and 'Chinese Hawaii'. We reckon it's set to become one of the hottest destinations of 2019; so much so that China Southern Airlines has launched direct flights between London and Sanya, the island's… Niamh_UK POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

2nt Berlin Christmas Markets break from £95pp - incl. flights & funky hotel

Nobody does Christmas Markets quite like the Germans, so combine a cool city break with some festive cheer with this Berlin getaway! You'll be staying at The Quentin Design Hotel, a super chic property that is walking distance from the boutique stores of the KuDamm. The Christmas Markets of Berlin begin towards the end of… Samcana POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Luxe 5* Madeira winter family escape 4nts from £193pp - incl. flights, spa hotel & breakfast

Ahoy mateys! Escape the dreary winter weather with a luxurious stay on the beautiful Portuguese island of Madeira a paradise for nature lovers with great trekking, surfing and whale watching on offer. But don't worry, as you'll be staying at the 5* Pestana Grand Ocean Resort & Hotel you can also just choose to… Cee POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Ten out of Tenerife: 7nts holiday from £294pp - incl. top-rated aparthotel & flights

Ahoy mateys! We'e spotted the top-rated Santa Barbara Golf & Ocean Club By Diamond Resorts in Tenerife in popular San Miguel de Abona on the south coast. Here you will be staying on a self-catering basis with a selection of great facilities at your disposal, along with with a number of golf courses nearby. We… Cee POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Electro-magnetic radiation health concerns surrounding the electric taxi put to bed

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Electromagnetic radiation is all around us, generated by electricity cables, radio and television signals, microwave ovens and mobile phones to name just a few.

Like any product, all new vehicles have to meet strict regulations around radiation levels in order to be sold in Europe. The Vehicle Certification Agency (VCA) oversee these tests in the UK and the LEVC TX cab passed more than comfortably. In fact, to reassure drivers who spend long hours behind the wheel, the TX has also been independently tested against the guidelines set out by the recognised experts in this field, the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP). These stringent guidelines are aimed at ensuring protection of users against all adverse health effects as a result of occupational (i.e. frequent long-term) exposure to electric and magnetic fields.

These tests were carried out in a special enclosure. The vehicle is driven on a 'rolling road' at 25mph while radiation of different types is measured in more than 60 areas inside the vehicle. The highest recorded reading was just 8.5% of the safe limit prescribed by the guidelines, recorded on the passenger compartment floor area, with the highest measurement inside the driver's compartment only 2.6%.

An LEVC spokesperson said “While electro-magnetic radiation poses no health risk to TX drivers, passengers or other road users, poor air quality has a significant impact – which is why we have developed eCity technology and made the transition to a zero emissions capable taxi.”

August 15, 2018 at 08:21AM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI Perry Richardson THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

London hotel stay from £24pp - incl. weekends: Stay near the city's famous Brick Lane

We've spotted a bargain hotel deal in the capital city with many dates available right through summer and school holiday From just £24 per person, per night, you'll stay just off Brick Lane, near the citiy's trendy Shoreditch area, in a hotel that gets great reviews on TripAdvisor. There are plenty of dates at super… Niamh_UK POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Montreal cabbies to be compensated $250m for loses due to Uber

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Montreal taxi drivers are set for a $250m windfall from the government to compensate the loses made on their taxi permit values.Cabbies in the Canadian city have long fought Uber and other ride-hailing by means of protests and court hearings but like other cities Uber remain active in their city.The provincial government of Quebec are to announce on Friday a package to compensate taxi drivers to help businesses suffering because of the ride-hailing giants.It has been reported by MTLblog that the money made available will reach $250 million in public funds. It is said that drivers will receive the money in compensation for the drop in value of taxi permits. Values dropped from hundreds of thousands of dollars to a staggering few tens of thousands. According to CNC, George Boussios, spokesperson for Taxis du Grand Montréal, an association of Montreal taxi companies said: “$30,000 is a drop in the bucket for what's happened in the last four years when the value of a permit was about $200,000 and now they're selling for about $80,000,"It is also said that just $44 million will go towards improving the Taxi service in Montreal. That figure has sparked local controversy with some members of the public questioning the need for government intervention at all in a “free market”.

August 15, 2018 at 07:24AM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

New taxi app launches in London promising customers premium service

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Hot on the heels of the new website launch, Sherbet London have launched a new driver app to support it’s new vision; Drive with Sherbet, Ride with Sherbet and Advertise with Sherbet.

The new app will offer drivers who drive a TXE, Mercedes Vito or TX4 a modern and easy to navigate booking system, with a one touch interface and notification alerts (that work in the background) so users can operate more than one application at a time. Drivers will have access to VIP, Corporate, pre-booked and Airport Transfers.

Commenting on the app launch, CEO Asher Moses said, “This is another milestone in our evolution. We’ve invested a lot of time and expertise into this app. The app will drive the Sherbet London premium service with fixed-prices and quality Corporate and Airport Transfer work. Our drivers represent the Sherbet values - their vehicles will be pristine, air conditioned or heated, our drivers smartly dressed, and we’ll offer bottled water to customers on arrival. This is all part of the evolution of our service and brand. Our focus is how we use service excellence and technology to ensure a premium journey experience.”

The new app will be available on both iOS and Android, is free to download and Sherbet London team will support drivers in completing their profiles.

Asher added: “The app will give drivers access to detailed information, including a history page collating all journeys, including the routes taken, earnings and all financial information for record. It provides the basics you would expect from a modern app, such an invoicing and receipting system. We’re keen to talk to drivers with electric vehicles, or those who wish to drive electric vehicles, we are completely committed to an Elite electric fleet. That’s our vision for the long term and we need professional like-minded drivers to help us achieve this goal.”

The new app features a clean, contemporary driver interface, displaying journey quotes on job notification - search for ‘Sherbet Driver’ in the App Store/Google Play or call Sherbet on 020 8458 7111 (option 2) to sign up as a driver.

August 15, 2018 at 06:15AM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI Perry Richardson THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Serving it in Cyprus: 3nts from £178pp incl. 5* apartment & flights

Pirates, head to Cyprus for a winter escape with 3nts from £178pp including the 5* Aphrodite Hills Holiday Residences & flights. These swish apartments have a fantastic score on TripAdvisor, so your stay in this tourist favourite country will be in safe hands. Holiday details Travel duration: 3 nights (longer or shorter stays possible) Example… jcrdawes POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Who needs the ocean? 5nt Lake Garda getaway from £222pp - incl. flights, 4* hotel & breakfast

Italy is one of the most popular destinations of 2018 mateys, and Lake Garda is definitely a must-see before the year is out, especially when you can secure it with a £25pp deposit. Use our holidays finder to nab yourself a deluxe visit at a 4* wellness hotel, close to the shores of the lake,… Niamh_UK POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Man with previous conviction of sexual assault allowed to continue operating as a Private Hire Driver

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A man who was convicted of indecent assault on a female under the age of 14 has been told he can continue operating as a private hire driver by Sandwell council. The man, only known as 'Mr S G' was convicted of the sexual offence in 1999 and served three months in jail. Despite guidelines that recommend anyone with previous sexual offences be barred from ever holding a private hire licence, Sandwell council decided to allow Mr S G to continue, stating their decision was based on his good driving record and good character. Minutes from the licensing sub committee meeting which took place last month were made public, with council members saying "each case is reviewed on its own merits". Any details that would identify the man in question were excluded from the public release. Sandwell Council said they were aware of Mr S G's conviction of sexual assault when he first applied for his licence back in 2007. The committee decided that he was a "fit and proper" candidate to hold a private hire licence. According to a report in the BBC, the decision has been criticised by the chairman of the West Midlands Private Hire Drivers Association, Rachel Shah who says no one with a conviction of sexual assault should ever be issued a licensed.

August 14, 2018 at 08:06PM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI Michael Murphy THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

5* Rhodes luxury break 5nts from £467pp - incl. Pool Suite, flights, breakfast & transfers

Ahoy mateys! Rhodes is up next and we've laid eyes on the top-rated, super luxurious 5* Lindian Village right on Lardos Beach. Here you will be surrounded by lush gardens and impressive water features with 5 restaurants, an inviting pool scene and a spa. But best of all: you will be staying in a contemporary… Cee POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Flights to Poland from £18 return - Gdansk, Krakow, Poznan & more

Dzień dobry pirates! With its beautiful old town squares and reasonably priced food, drink and accommodation, Poland makes a fine option for a city trip. It gets even more tempting when you spot super cheap flights using our Flights Finder! We've added options to Poznan, Warsaw, Gdansk and Krakow, some of our favourite cities in… Samcana POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Turn your back on winter: Group bargain week in Cape Verde from £291pp incl. flights, hotel & more

Forget the winter blues and set co-ordinates for the tropical Cape Verde climate this November/December Pirates. For less than £300pp you and your best mateys could be heading out to the African islands to enjoy 7 nights in the sun. Staying in your own apartment at the 3* Aguahotels Sal Vila Verde, you'll be on… GemUK POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT