Dial-a-cab credit union is now in default: Will cabbies lose out?

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The Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) has announced the failure of Dial-A-Cab Credit Union Limited, based in London, which was declared in default on 4 September 2018.This means the credit union can’t pay money to its 1,250 members. FSCS is stepping in to protect customers and we expect to pay over £21,000,000 to nearly all 1,250 customers within seven days of the failure being declared. We’ll send payments to members automatically, using the credit union’s records.Jimmy Barber, Chief Operating Officer at FSCS, said:“FSCS is committed to helping get people’s lives back on track by returning deposits as soon as we can. I’m pleased we’re able to return the majority of Dial-A-Cab customers’ deposits and that FSCS has lessened the disruption they would have otherwise experienced as a result of the credit union’s failure.”FSCS protects up to £85,000 of money in UK authorised banks, building societies and credit unions. If you have a joint account, your money is protected up to £170,000. Customers with balances over our limits will be contacted directly by the administrators.Dial-A-Cab Credit Union customers can find further information here.For any queries please speak to Jo Milner and Stephen Cork of Cork Gully LLP who are the Administrators of Dial-A-Cab Credit Union Limited. You can call them on 020 7268 2150 or email: DACCU@corkgully.comPlease note: Dial-a-Cab Limited (Radio Circuit) of 39-47 East Road, London N1 6AH is unaffected by the administration of Dial-A-Cab Credit Union Limited.

September 07, 2018 at 03:08AM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Police hunt driver after retired taxi driver is killed in hit and run

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Officers have named the victim of the Leighton Road fail to stop collision who has now died as they continue to appeal for help to trace the whereabouts of a man wanted in connection with the incident.Although formal identification awaits, officers are confident that the victim is 77-year-old Richard Dougherty from Camden.Police were called to Leighton Road, NW5 at 0235hrs on Thursday, 23 August to reports of a traffic collision.At the scene a Nissan Primera vehicle had been in collision with Mr Dougherty, who was walking, before crashing into the front garden of a house.Mr Dougherty was taken to hospital by London Ambulance Service having suffered a severe head injury.He died on Tuesday, 4 September. His next of kin are aware. Formal identification awaits.The occupants of the vehicle, which is believed to have been stolen, made off from the scene on foot.Due to the vehicle leaking fuel and being at risk of catching fire the immediately affected properties were temporarily evacuated as a precaution. The vehicle was made safe and residents returned to their homes.Three females aged 17, 16 and 14 who were in the vehicle also made off from the scene. They were arrested by police a few hours later on suspicion of causing serious injury by dangerous driving and taken to a north London police station. They have since been released under investigation.Detective Sergeant Cheryl Frost, of the Met’s Roads and Transport Policing Command (RTPC), said: “Sadly, the victim of this selfish crime has passed away and our thoughts are with his family and friends at this time.“We are continuing our search to find Alistair McWilliams and would like to hear from anyone who knows of his whereabouts or has seen him in the past few days. Any information, no matter how big or small, will help us to take this very selfish and dangerous man off the streets.”Anyone with information should call the Incident Room at Alperton on 0208 991 9555 quoting reference CAD874/23AUG, by dialling 101, Tweet @MetCC or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

September 07, 2018 at 03:03AM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan commissions detailed study into the pedestrianisation of Parliament Square

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The Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has ordered a detailed study into the potential pedestrianisation of Parliament Square following the suspected terror attack outside the Houses of Parliament in August. New plans could see traffic banned from certain sections of Parliament Square if any future proposals were to be approved. Sadiq Khan, along with Parliament, Westminster City Council and the Minister for Security have commissioned a detailed feasibility study into making the area safer. The Evening Standard have confirmed in a report that the Metropolitan Police and government security advisers will also assist with the inquiry. A joint statement by Mayor Khan, Westminster City Council leader Nickie Aiken and Deputy Speaker of Commons Sir Lindsay Hoyle highlighted the need to consider what changes may need to be made to improve safety in the area. Measures were implemented last year following the Westminster Bridge terror attack, but they say last months suspected terror attack has forced them to consider yet more safety measures around parliament.

September 06, 2018 at 10:42PM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI Michael Murphy THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Angry woman bites off man's ear after he confronted her for jumping Taxi queue

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A 35-year-old woman has admitted to a court that she bit off a part a man's ear following an argument at a taxi rank in Paisley. Linda McKillop pleaded guilty at Paisley Sheriff Court to the assault of Mr Brogan, 41, who was left needing surgery on his damaged ear. The attack happened at the taxi rank located in Paisley County Square, not far from Paisley train station in the early hours of 21 October last year. Brogan had just returned from a night out in Glasgow and was waiting at the rank for the first taxi to arrive. As the taxi pulled up, McKillop walked straight to the front, bypassing Brogan. The two began to argue as the taxi drove away empty. McKillop, who was intoxicated, lost her temper and lashed out at Brogan who was trying to walk away. The court heard that she then ran after him, scratching him on the face before grabbing his head and biting his ear. The attack was caught on CCTV which was used in court. The court heard that the attack has had a "lasting impact" on Mr Brogan, who now has to alter his haircut so it covers both ears to try and hide his permanent disfigurement. McKillop is due for sentencing next month.

September 06, 2018 at 02:26PM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Benefits cheat who claimed nearly £9,500 was working for Uber all along

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A Cardiff Uber driver has admitted claiming almost £9,500 in benefits while also working for the ride-sharing app. Cardiff Magistrates Court heard on Wednesday that 51-year-old Mohammed Chowdhury, claimed a total of £9,460 in Jobseekers Allowance and Employment and Support Allowance between June 2016 and May 2017 after failing to inform authorities of his job as an Uber driver. The court heard Chowdhury attended the Department of Work and Pensions where he confirmed to interviewers of his job as an Uber driver and told them that he had faced "financial difficulties" following legal disputes with the tech giants. Chowdhury said that because of the dispute with Uber he was unsure whether he would have to pay back all his earnings, therefore decided to declare them. In November 2016 Chowdhury declared himself too sick to work but following a medical examination it was decided that he was fit enough to seek work. According to a report in the WalesOnline, It was accepted that his claims were not "initially fraudulent". Chowdhury admitted a single count of fraud by dishonestly failing to disclose his change of status and is due for sentencing on September 12 after a probation report is carried out.

September 06, 2018 at 07:32AM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Toyota announce the recall of over a million hybrid vehicles including the popular ride-sharing Prius model

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Its been announced today that Japanese car giants Toyota is recalling about 1.03 million hybrid cars which were built between June 2015 and May 2018. All vehicles will undergo safety checks after an issue with the engine harness came-to-light. Affected Toyota models include the CHR, Prius and Prius PHV which is the car of choice for many ride-share drivers who work on platforms such as Uber. Sky News reported a total of 554,000 of the recalled vehicles are in Japan, 217,000 in North America and 219,000 across Europe, with 32,393 of those currently in the U.K. According to sources the issue involves the engine wire harness which is connected to the vehicles power unit. A portion of the wire which is not protected could possibly cause an electrical short circuit after a period of time. Toyota said that retailers will check the engine wire harness assembly on all recalled vehicles. The Japanese car makers have said all costs will be covered by the company. This is not the first time that Toyota have recalled vehicles. In 2016 they recalled 3.37 million of their vehicles worldwide because of issues with the air bags and a fuel emission control unit. In 2014 they had to recall 1.9 million vehicles because of an issue with the windshield wiper switch assembly which may of short circuited.

September 05, 2018 at 08:34PM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

TfL taxi licence renewal debacle could force drivers off the road

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Sometimes you hear stories emulate from the ranks that you’re never quite sure is gospel or not. Did Dave really do the Knowledge all on foot? How did Linda fit a live llama into a TX2? And did TfL really sit on Pete’s taxi licence renewal for months meaning he was unable to work after its expiry? Well one, the later statement, I can now vouch for as I’m left infuriated just days before my licensed taxi bill is due to expire. So let’s run through the background. I received my pack from my regulators Transport for London in good time and completed the necessary DBS checks as quickly as the process allows. My renewal application with full DBS check was submitted on 28th June 2018. That meant TfL had over two months prior to my current bill expiring to issue me with another one. Five or six weeks pass and I hadn’t heard anything, so I call the the Taxi & Private Hire licensing number to check on its progress. A helpful member of the TfL licensing team assured me that the application had been submitted correctly, it was processing as expected and there was nothing else for me to do or worry about. When I queried when I was likely to expect my new bill, he said “by the end of August”. August passes and no bill lands on the Richardson household doormat. I call again. I go through the 20+ minute wait on the phone and go through the usual security checks. I then sense a little more urgency from the lady I’m speaking to. “I’ve spoken to our urgent licensing team and they’ve informed me the DVLA licence check code has expired.” says the TfL representative. Of course it expired. The check code generated on 28th June 2018 hadn’t been accessed by TfL in the 21-days it remains active for. This raised questions from myself as to why this wasn’t flagged when I rang three weeks prior for which the TfL representative couldn’t comment on. The call handler now had the code and I was told that the team would be acting fast and I could expect an email from TfL soon confirming my new completed renewal. Two days later. No email. I ring the TfL number again to check its progress. I was then confronted with a more sinister conversation just 9 days prior to my licence expiry. The TfL representative checked my details and said he “hoped” that I would have an email confirming my renewal by the end of this week. If I haven’t heard anything call back after the weekend on Monday. That would leave just three days left on my current bill to sort this ever growing mess out. Not happy with relying on the “hope” that I might receive my bill by the 14th September, I asked what would happen if this carries on being unresolved past the expiry.“You will not be able to work Sir” the gut-wrenching, stress inducing, anxiety laden response. Being told you can’t do a job despite following the instructions by the book can only be described as outrageous at best. In my household I’m currently the only earner what with my wife giving birth to an amazing little girl just 4 months ago to go with our other inquisitive little 2-year-old. Things are tight for many in the trade and you can never have enough money where young families are concerned. My thoughts switched straight to how do I pay the mortgage and keep the family home ticking over whilst this carries on! I call my union representatives now as stress levels rise. They took details on my behalf and assure me they will act quickly. Which they have. Much to my delight a TfL email arrives within the hour, but it doesn’t confirm my new bill renewal! This time the regulator wants my National Insurance Number. A piece of data that was included in the original online licence submission over two months ago! A piece of data that wasn’t requested in the three other conversations I had had. So that’s where I’m at. And on closer inspection there are more drivers facing this very same problem as Transport for London appear to sit on online renewal applications letting DVLA check-codes expire.

Will I get a licence in time to provide for my family. My regulator will “try”. I’ll have to hope.

September 05, 2018 at 08:02PM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI Perry Richardson THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Liverpool cabbie scores own goal as he tries to rip off fans going to Anfield

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A cabbie from Liverpool ended up scoring a spectacular own goal after being caught in an undercover sting.

The cabbie tried to charge football fans £20 to travel two and a half miles from Anfield to Lime Street Station.

The cab driver in question last January, during a council crackdown after reports of over-charging and cherry picking jobs.

Liverpool Magistrates Court heard how 43-year-old Orlin Angelov Madzharov was caught after the Liverpool v West Brom FA Cup tie attempting to charge two undercover licensing officers £20 to travel from the ground to Lime Street Station without turning his meter on.

The trip should have cost approximately £6.80 for the 10 minute journey.

Madzharov was taken to court for failing to engage his meter. He failed to turn up for the hearing and was subsequently found guilty in his absence.

He was fined a total of £480, which included £150 in costs and £30 victim surcharge.

September 05, 2018 at 12:49PM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

TfL: Walking or cycling to school could take 254,000 cars off London’s roads each day

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As children across London return to school, the Mayor and Transport for London are encouraging parents to help them start the school year with a new and healthy habit - walking or cycling to school.Research from TfL's Walking Action Plan, which aims to make London the world's most walkable city, shows that a quarter of weekday morning peak car trips are for school drop-offs, a total of 254,000 trips a day. Those cars would form a traffic jam more than 1,000km long if they were queuing single file. This increased traffic has an impact on congestion, air quality, safety and the efficiency of London's roads.Walking to school benefits children's health, as eight in 10 children in London do not achieve their minimum recommended physical activity level of one hour per day.TfL, the Mayor and others are delivering a number of projects that promote healthy, walkable school journeys and make it easier and more appealing for parents and children to walk or cycle to school. TfL's STARS accreditation scheme inspires young Londoners to walk, cycle and scoot to school, with more than 1,500 schools, nurseries and colleges now part of the scheme.The Walking Action Plan aims to double the number of schools reaching the Gold standard under the STARS scheme, from 500 to 1,000 by 2024. The Plan focuses on schools in areas with poor air quality, high road casualty numbers and the most active travel potential. Councils like Camden and Hackney are also piloting schemes where streets around primary schools are closed at set times in the morning and afternoon, allowing people to walk and cycle safely in a pleasant environment.TfL is also transforming streets to encourage walking and cycling, ensuring people feel safe and that streets are easy to cross. Regeneration work in the City of London Corporation's Aldgate Square, which received £10m from TfL's Healthy Streets funding, has transformed the area for residents and visitors. Aldgate is now home to one of the largest public spaces in the Square Mile, with new cycle lanes, pedestrian crossings and a stunning new pavilion at its centre.The investment has also improved walking routes between nearby housing estates and the local school, encouraging more students to walk to school. City Corporation research has revealed that air pollution at the nearby Sir John Cass's Foundation Primary School has fallen below the legal annual limit for the first time since monitoring began in 2003 as a direct result of the improvements.Will Norman, London's walking and cycling commissioner, said: "Being physically active sets children up for success: active kids are healthier, happier and do better at school. Sadly, far too many children in London aren't as active as they should be. Walking, cycling and scooting to school are fun and easy ways to build more activity into the day. That's why we're determined to double the number of schools which champion active travel, enabling more London children to enjoy the benefits of leading active lives."

September 05, 2018 at 11:03AM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Rebranding brings same values, but different name for the London Taxi Drivers’ Charity for Children

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The London Taxi Drivers’ Fund for Underprivileged Children have announced a change of name and a brand make-over as it celebrates it’s 90th year. As of Monday 3 September 2018, the charity will be known as the London Taxi Drivers’ Charity for Children (LTCFC).A spokesperson from the charity said “It was felt that our identity needed to be updated to be more reflective of the taxi charity and the work that we do to help sick children.”Domenic Lippa, Partner at Pentagram, the world’s largest independently-owned design studio, kindly offered to rebrand the charity. The aim was to create a flexible brand that would be more responsive, accommodate the digital marketing world and enable the group to engage with a broader audience.In a statement from the LTCFC committee the charity added: “In this enlightened society, we do not believe children should be labelled so the word ‘underprivileged’ will cease to be part of the name of our charity. The new name is neutral and modern and along with our new, fun, eye-catching logo, will allow us to reach out to a wider audience.“We have been very fortunate to have Pentagram work on this rebrand project for us and we are incredibly grateful for their support.“Together with our associates, we are very optimistic that the new branding will bring a more contemporary, neutral and friendly feel to our identity.”

September 05, 2018 at 07:05AM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

“Go Electric Taxi” scheme launched in Coventry offers £2,500 worth of incentives to go green

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The UK’s most extensive programme for encouraging taxi drivers to upgrade to an electric vehicle is being launched in Coventry today.

The Go Electric Taxi scheme includes a range of different incentives worth £2,500 for taxi drivers interested in making the switch to a cleaner vehicle – as well as the opportunity for a two-week test drive for all Coventry Hackney cab drivers.

The initiative, led by Coventry City Council, is supported by a range of companies including, the Coventry electric taxi maker LEVC, Irish energy company ESB, Siemens and the taxi app Gett.

Hackney carriage owners in Coventry will be getting the chance to try out the latest electric cabs produced by LEVC, as part of a scheme to encourage cabbies to understand more about the benefits of electric taxis.

An event today, at Coventry railway station, has been organised to enable Coventry cabbies to take a closer look at the new state-of-the-art TX Electric Taxi, and sign up to a 12 day loan scheme.

Go Electric Taxi aims to speed up the modernisation of the Coventry taxi fleet and offer a premium, better value, service for Coventarians. All these vehicles will offer laptop charging, mobile phone charging, free wifi, card payment – and zero emission capable driving.

Two thirds of Coventry residents have already said that they would specifically choose an electric taxi, if given the option.

Cllr Kamran Caan, the Council’s Cabinet Member for Public Health and Sport said that in future year’s electric vehicles would be the norm.

He added: “We are committed to cutting air pollution in Coventry because we know that this will bring health benefits to people particularly vulnerable residents with pre-existing health conditions.

“Electric vehicles are the future both nationally and globally. I hope that Hackney cab drivers will take the opportunity to try out the loan scheme. The vehicles are built locally – and the numbers of charging points are increasing all of the time.”

Cllr Jayne Innes, Cabinet Member for City Services in Coventry, said that she was keen to support local cabbies in helping them to look at options for maintaining their high standards of services.

She added: “We are very proud of the high standards of our licensed taxi drivers, and their key role in welcoming people to the city and supporting the local community and businesses. I’m really keen to see how drivers find the loan scheme, especially if it can bring benefits to their business and improve standards for customers in Coventry.”

As part of the scheme, the first 60 drivers of electric taxis in the city will benefit from a significant contribution towards their insurance costs, as well as a waiver of several licensing fees, this is valued at around £2,500. The scheme has been funded by grants from the Office of Low Emission Vehicles and the Government’s Joint Air Quality Unit.

Jesse Norman, Minister for Roads and the Future of Mobility said: “Britain’s black cabs are iconic around the world. That is why the Government is supporting this initiative with £1.2 million, helping Coventry to champion these new electric models.

"The Government is committed to improving the country’s air quality and creating a low carbon economy, which is already worth billions. Low emission vehicles will be a key part of that transition, showing that we can meet our climate change obligations and also promote economic growth.”

September 05, 2018 at 06:52AM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI Perry Richardson THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

FOI request reveals Wolverhampton City Council have granted Indian ride-sharing giants Ola an operators licence

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A Freedom of Information Request by a source close to TaxiPoint has revealed that new ride-sharing app Ola, have been granted a private hire operators licence by Wolverhampton City Council. Ola is an Indian ride-sharing app that was founded in 2010 and are considered to be one of the main rivals to controversial tech giants from Silicon Valley, Uber. Ola launched it's first overseas operations early this year when it hit the streets of Perth, Australia, with further plans to launch in Sydney and also Melbourne. The Indian equivalent of Uber launched it's first U.K. Service in South Wales last month and also confirmed that they had obtained an operating licence in Greater Manchester. A FOI request has now highlighted that a licence to operate in Wolverhampton has also been granted.

Wolverhampton City Council has come under scrutiny in the past , facing accusations of putting profit before safety by issuing licenses to drivers who had no intentions of working in Wolverhampton. An article in TaxiPoint back in April, noted that there had been an incredible 6,847 percent increase in private hire licenses issued to drivers living outside of their licensing area since 2013. It was also revealed that Wolverhampton City Council had made £1.29million in 2016/17 through the licensing of PHVs. Both Wolverhampton City Council and Ola were approached last week to comment on what the Freedom Of Information request had revealed but have yet to come back with any statement.

September 04, 2018 at 02:51PM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Record number of private parking tickets to be issued this financial year

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The number of private parking tickets being issued continues to soar.Figures just published show that in the first quarter of the 2018-19 financial year private parking companies requested 1,479,152 sets of vehicle keeper records from the DVLA.This is a 14% rise on the 1,299,716 sets of records bought in the same quarter of 2017-18.The data is used by the firms to pursue motorists for charges and penalties that they say are due for infringements in private car parks such as those at shopping centres, leisure centres and motorway service areas.If the rate at which data changes hands continues at the same pace then the DVLA is on course to share a total of almost 6.5 million sets of records with private parking firms by the end of 2018-19, up from 5.65 million in 2017-18.

The numbers from previous years read:

2018-19 6.44 million (projection)2017-18 5.65 million2016-17 4.71 million2015-16 3.67 million2014-15 3.06 million2013-14 2.43 million2012-13 1.89 million2011-12 1.57 million2010-11 1.17 million2009-10 1.03 million2008-9 687,0002007-8 499,0002006-7 272,000

The firms that requested the most driver data in the first quarter of 2018-19 were:

ParkingEye – 388,061 (individual records)Euro Car Parks – 125,322Smart Parking – 114,217

In July 2018 Capita PLC agreed to sell ParkingEye to Macquarie for £235 million. This is more than quadruple the £58 million that Capita paid for ParkingEye back in 2013.To access DVLA data parking firms currently need to be members of an accredited trade association of which there are two: the BPA and the IPC. These bodies each have their own code of practice and independent appeals service.However, Sir Greg Knight MP has a private members’ bill before Parliament which aims to introduce a single, government-sanctioned code of practice that all parking firms will have to adhere to if they want to request DVLA information. The bill passed its committee stage in the House of Commons on 19 July 2018. The next step is the House of Commons report stage scheduled for 23 November 2018.Steve Gooding, director of the RAC Foundation, said: “Motorists might well be asking what is going on when the number of records being sought by private parking companies has shot up yet again.“Numbers like these suggest that something, somewhere, is going wrong.“Drivers will be pleased that Sir Greg Knight’s bill has cleared another parliamentary hurdle in the hope that it won’t be too long before some much-needed regulatory oversight is brought to bear on the industry.”

September 04, 2018 at 02:27PM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

2019 April break to Malta: 7nts from £256pp incl. flights, bags, cave bar & rooftop pool

Book your early 2019 break now and make some great savings, like with this 4* escape to Malta. Stay in the Pergola Hotel & Spa for 7 nights in the April -- when the temperatures should really start heating up -- from £256 per person, based on 2 sharing! Easter dates are just a bit… Captain_Niamh POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Have Nottingham council gone too far in their quest to improve the city's taxi service?

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A highly controversial penalty points scheme which was aimed at improving Nottinghams taxi service has seen drivers in the area amass almost 700 points in mearly 18 months.

The Driver Improvement Penalty Points Scheme (DIPPS), which was aimed at improving driver service, was introduced by the council in April of last year.

Since its implementation, one driver has had his taxi license revoked, with 5 drivers suspended.

Taxi drivers have now started to raise concerns as to how the points are issued, with parking on Yellow lines with the meter off, as well as bus stops, seeing drivers receive penalty points.

Drivers can receive up to 12 points in a rolling 3 year period, anything beyond that could see the drivers fitness to operate brought into question.

Acting Unite chairman, Chander Sood, believes that Nottinghams cabboes have become an easy target for Community Protection Officers (CPOs).

Mr Sood also expressed concerns avout private hire drivers, illegally plying for hire, as well as a lack of rank space.

Another concern which has been raised is the lack of time given for drivers to pick up and drop off, with an allegation that over-zealous CPOs have been too quick to issue points pertaining to this.

A Nottingham Council spokesperson has said that DIPPs was brought in to improve safety and behaviour within the taxi industry, with various different sanctions available to the council, which include a written warning, suspension, revocation as well as no further action.

September 04, 2018 at 09:10AM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

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

Uber drivers set for international strike to hlghlight exploitation

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It's been revealed that Uber drivers in the UK are to go on strike.

The international Uber Log-OFF Strike is to take place between 6:00am until 10:00am on September 5th.

The strike, which has been called by Ride Share Drivers United, will include drivers from Australia, New Zealand and the United States as well as the UK.

The strike has been called because of concerns surrounding Uber's alleged exploitation of drivers, unfair contract terms and drivers being falsely declared as independent contractors, according to a spokesperson for Ride Share Drivers United.

There have also been calls for respective governments to start legislating the ride share industry properly.

Concerns have also been raised over the unsustainably low fares that have helped Uber control huge swathes of the ride share market, thus squashing competition.

September 04, 2018 at 06:18AM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Cool minibreak: 3nts in Berlin incl. 5* hotel from £162pp *Xmas market dates available*

Pirates, there's no cooler city than Berlin, which welcomes travellers of all kinds with open arms. Check out this bargain minibreak - 3 nights in a 5* hotel from £162pp including the 5* Hotel Bristol Berlin & flights. Pick dates to visit the Christmas markets in December, or just enjoy the city and its gazillion… Bosun-Dawes POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Police keen to speak to Taxi driver who may be able to assist fatal collision investigation

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Hampshire police are appealing for witnesses following a fatal collision which happened near Verwood last month.Officers from Dorset police were called following reports of a collision involving a pedestrian and Peugeot 208, at around 5.45am on Saturday, August 25, on the B3081 Verwood Road on the Hampshire/Dorset border.

Officers from Hampshire's Serious Collision Investigation Unit, who are now leading enquiries, are particularly keen to speak to the taxi driver who drove Mr Lenton and his two friends from Bournemouth to Verwood in the early hours of Saturday morning.The collision was so severe, the pedestrian, Thomas Lenton, 23, from Verwood, was pronounced dead at the scene.The driver of the blue Peugeot, a 29-year-old woman from Eastleigh, was uninjured.Sgt Rik Grant, from the Joint Roads Policing SCIU, said: “We know that Mr Lenton and his two friends got into a taxi close to the Genting Casino, in Bournemouth at around 4.30am and were taken to The Quomp, in Ringwood, which would have taken around ten minutes.“We are keen to speak to the driver of this taxi as he may have information that could help with our investigation.”He added: “We are looking at all possible scenarios surrounding this collision and it may be that another vehicle was involved.“So we are keen to speak to as many people as possible who were driving in the area around that time, or anyone who might have seen someone walking along the B3081 between 4.40am and 5.45am.“So if you were in the area and think you can help, or if you have any dash cam footage, please get in touch.”

If you have any information, please contact us on 101, quoting reference number 44180330815.

September 03, 2018 at 05:23PM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Police to revoke licences of drivers who don’t pass road side vision test

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Road safety charity Brake is teaming up with police forces in Thames Valley, Hampshire and West Midlands to run a month-long campaign on driver vision, revoking the licenses of those who don’t pass the 20m number plate check.

Throughout September, anyone stopped by Road Policing Officers in these areas will be required to take the 20m number plate test, with those who fail having their licence immediately revoked. Data will be collected from each test and will be used to gain an improved understanding of the extent of poor driver eyesight on our roads, which is thought to be vastly underreported in Government statistics.This activity is part of a wider campaign to encourage the public and the Government to take driver vision seriously. An estimated 1.5m UK licence holders have never had an eye test and crashes involving a driver with defective eyesight are thought to cause 2,900 casualties every year on the UK’s roads. However, the UK’s driver vision testing remains inadequate and antiquated, requiring only a 20m number plate check when taking your driving test and nothing else for the rest of your driving life – one of only five EU countries to have such low standards.Brake, alongside Vision Express, is urging the Government to tighten up UK driver vision laws and make eyesight testing compulsory before the driving test and each time a driver renews their photocard license.Sergeant Rob Heard, representing the police forces taking part in the campaign, said: “All of us require good vision to drive safely on our roads - not being able to see a hazard or react to a situation quickly enough can have catastrophic consequences. The legal limit is being able to read a number plate at 20m, around 5 car lengths, however this is a minimum requirement and a regular eyesight test with an optician is a must if we are going to be safe on the road.”“Since 2013, the Police have a new procedure – Cassie’s Law - to fast track notification to the DVLA should they find someone who cannot read a number plate at 20m in daylight conditions. Offending motorists will within an hour have their licence revoked and face prosecution. During September, we will be carrying out 20m number plate checks at every opportunity and those who fail will have their licences revoked. I hope we do not find anyone and everyone makes sure they are safe to read the road ahead.”

September 03, 2018 at 11:05AM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT