Midlands taxi driver jaw broken and cab damaged in horrific attack

via taxi-point https://ift.tt/2FRTQQX

A taxi driver was left with a suspected broken jaw after being attacked by a man who also went on to smash up his vehicle.The 57-year-old driver suffered the facial injuries after the incident saw both the West Midlands Ambulance Service and Staffordshire Police attend the scene. The driver working for City Cars was believed to have been traveling to Walsall when the passenger launched an attack on the victim.

A spokesperson from Staffordshire Police said: “We were called at 3.50am on Sunday November 18 to a reports of an assault against a taxi driver in Bore Street, Lichfield.“The offender(s) had also caused criminal damage to his vehicle, and made off towards the university.“A 57-year-old man was taken to Queen’s Hospital in Burton with facial injuries, and has since been discharged.”

Colleagues at City Cars have appealed on social media for help to identify the man.

Dave Johnson said: “I was called to check on one of my co-workers after someone called the office to say there had been an attack on a City Cars driver.“I got there as quickly as possible to assist but whoever did this had already ran away."The injuries to this poor bloke’s face were horrific!

"They punched his face several times, broke his nose and, after I spoke to the police, they suspected his jaw was also broken in this unprovoked attack!“Whoever did this to a man trying to earn a living, in what is already a very difficult job to do, I hope you get what you deserve!“If anyone has any information on this please contact the police or inbox me if you wish to remain anonymous.

“The minibus was damaged during this incident."The key was snapped in half in the ignition and the driver’s side mirror was broken off when another taxi driver and myself recovered the vehicle and returned it back to base.”

November 25, 2018 at 09:31AM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI Perry Richardson THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Mayor confirms ban on junk food advertising on taxis and rest of transport network

via taxi-point https://ift.tt/2Kx4jQ4

Junk food advertising will be banned from appearing on taxis and the rest of the Transport for London network from 25 February under groundbreaking measures to help tackle child obesity, the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, confirmed today. The decision follows a public consultation launched in May which found overwhelming support from Londoners for a ban, covering all adverts for food and non-alcoholic drinks high in fat, salt and / or sugar and considered “less healthy” under Public Health England guidelines. Examples of products that would not be accepted are sugary drinks, cheeseburgers, chocolate bars and salted nuts, while unsalted nuts, raisins and sugar free drinks would be accepted. Food and drink brands, restaurants, takeaways and delivery services will only be able to place adverts which promote their healthier products, rather than simply publicising brands. From 25 February, the restrictions will apply to advertisements on all modes of transport controlled by TfL, including the Underground, Overground, London buses, TfL Rail, trams and the capita’s black cabs. The Mayor’s online Talk London platform, which offers Londoners the chance to have their say on issues in the capital, alone received 1,500 consultation responses with 82 per cent supporting the proposals. London has one of the highest child overweight and obesity rates in Europe, with almost 40 per cent of the capital’s children aged 10 and 11 overweight or obese. Children from more deprived areas of the capital are disproportionately affected, with young people in Barking and Dagenham almost twice as likely to be overweight as children from Richmond. This week, new figures from Diabetes UK revealed a huge rise in the number of children and young people across the country diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. Nearly 7,000 young Britons are now suffering with the disease, linked to obesity. The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “Child obesity is putting the lives of young Londoners at risk and placing huge pressure on our already strained health service. It is absolutely imperative that we take tough action against this ticking timebomb now, and reducing exposure to junk food advertising has a role to play in this - not just for children, but parents, families and carers who buy food and prepare meals. “It’s clear that advertising plays a huge part in the choices we make, whether we realise it or not, and Londoners have shown overwhelming support for a ban on adverts for junk food and drink on our transport network. “It’s completely unacceptable that in a city as prosperous as London, where you live and the amount you earn can have a massive impact on whether you have access to healthy, nutritious food. I’m determined to change this.” Jamie Oliver, chef and campaigner, said: “This is an amazing move from the Mayor and TfL, and they've got overwhelming support from Londoners who've said loud and clear they want a transport system with healthier ads and messages. Yes London!” Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, chef and campaigner said: "When it comes to tackling childhood obesity, we need to pull all the levers possible, which is why I'm delighted to hear that not only are the Mayor of London and TFL removing junk food ads on their network, but they're actually going to promote vegetables instead! This is a real victory for veg; let's hope TFL paves the way for others to follow."

November 24, 2018 at 07:29PM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI Perry Richardson THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Yellow Box Junctions - Councils call for more powers to install spy cameras to catch motorists who stop in them

via taxi-point https://ift.tt/2Rboaqy

Road users are getting caught short more and more often as they attempt to drive through yellow box junctions, with many pointing the finger at the poor sequencing of traffic lights and law-breaking motorists for their infringement. Now local authorities are calling for spy cameras in their area to catch even more motorists who stop in the boxes. Transport for London and and Cardiff’s local authority are allowed to use cameras to spy on yellow box junctions and issue penalty charge notices to any driver who stops in one. Now other councils are calling for the same powers. According to research by the RAC, 8 in 10 drivers say they struggle to drive through yellow box junctions without stopping and nearly half of motorists say they get stuck in them accidentally.

Figures published in Motoring Research, show that Transport for London issued 123,071 PCNs in the last financial year. Last year they issued 108,164, that’s a rise of almost 15,000. Outside of London and Cardiff, yellow box junctions are supposed to be enforced by the police, but with fewer officers and the complexity of catching offenders, other authorities are asking for the same powers to place spy cameras at box junctions to issue automatic fines to drivers. The RAC have advised any council that is considering installing cameras at box junctions to fully analyse the the junction before doing so.

November 24, 2018 at 05:00PM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI Michael Murphy THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Fake Paris cabbie jailed for scamming Thai tourists

via taxi-point https://ift.tt/2DHZNND

A "scammer" posing as a Parisian private hire driver has been jailed, after forcing a Thai couple to pay £200 for a trip from the airport.

The "scammer," who was only identified as Enock C, was found guilty of fraud and extortion, involving threats, after picking up the couple from Charles De Gaulle Airport and taking them to central Paris.

The typical price for that journey is around £40 to £50. The driver tried to initially charge the couple £220.

The driver had claimed he was a VTC (private hire driver). When asked by the couple to produce his license, he showed them a document, however the VTC drivers network confirmed that the driver did not have a license.

According to The BBC Enock C was jailed by the court for 8 months

November 23, 2018 at 10:32PM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI Steve Kenton THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Police given the ok to ram moped attackers

via taxi-point https://ift.tt/2zrhIVF

Scotland Yard have taken the extraordinary step in sanctioning some police pursuits, involving moped attackers, to be ended through ramming the offenders.

The initiative, referred to by the Metropolitan Police as "tactical contact" is now in common use across London boroughs.

Moped attackers have blighted Londoners, attacking pedestrians and motorists as well as taxi drivers, and in some cases Knowledge Students who have then had their mopeds stolen.

Specially trained "Skorpion" drivers are being deployed as a means to end pursuits swiftly, even if the moped atrackers remove their helmets or ride dangerously, thus ending a policy of ceasing chases when it is deemed to dangerous to continue that pursuit.

The new initiative is called "Operation Venice," this initiative has gleaned over 700 arrests so far.

Although there has been a massive increase in this particular crime over the last 5 years, this years figure has seen a 44% decrease compared to the same period last year.

The Standard reported that moped crime figures from January to October 2018 stood at 12,419, falling from 19,455 over the same time period the previous year.

November 23, 2018 at 09:37PM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI Steve Kenton THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Taxi drivers stage successful protest outside Train station after they were banned from using toilet facilities

via taxi-point https://ift.tt/2AiqRjb

Taxi drivers in Stoke-on Trent have staged a demo outside the towns main railway station to protest against the decision to ban them from using the toilet facilities.

Drivers say that the new station official told them they can no longer use the station toilets on the platforms, which has left them with the only option to use the toilets nearby in the North Stafford Hotel. But the cabbies feel that they should be allowed access to the stations facilities because they pay £300-a-year for a permit to ply for hire at the station. Stoke-on-Trent cab drivers have been using these facilities for more than 30 years without any issues, so decided to stage a protest to show their discontent. The cabbies believe that they should be treated no differently to the stations staff and be granted access to the toilets, with some drivers even stressing that those with kidney problems need easy access for toilet breaks for health reasons. One driver who has worked the station rank for more than 10 years told StokeonTrent Live, that because he is a diabetic he needs to use the toilet more often than most and said that it would be a ten mile round trip if he was forced to drive home every time. The protest has seemed to of worked because Virgin Trains has apologised for the confusion and granted the drivers the same access to the station toilets as they had previously. One of the biggest problems for many taxi drivers across the UK is restroom facilities. Whether its because of lack of toilets or parking issues, many cabbies struggle to find suitable locations for regular toilet breaks. Holding in urine on a regular basis can lead to medical complications. It’s important to build relationships with those who are able to grant access to their facilities so to avoid such problems in the future. Which city or town to you work in? Do you have easy access to restroom facilities? If not, have you approached your licensing authority to discuss how the problem can be solved?

November 23, 2018 at 03:50PM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI Michael Murphy THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Gavin Shuker MP meets Addison Lee drivers amid dispute over pay and conditions

via taxi-point https://ift.tt/2BsEspV

Gavin Shuker, MP for Luton South, will today meet with Luton Airport based Addison Lee drivers, during the workers' dispute over pay and conditions.

The drivers, represented by the Independent Workers Union of Great Britain (IWGB), are protesting a decision made by Addison Lee to increase vehicle rental fees from £190 per week to £210 per week, as well as increase in their take of fares from 30% to 35%.

As a result, drivers are working as much as 70 hours per week but are still earning between £5 and £6 per hour, well below the £8.75 living wage target set by Luton Council and London Luton Airport for all workers at the airport.

In 2016, Addison Lee paid Luton Airport a reported £2 million for exclusive right to service the airport for 5 years. Luton Council took the highly unusual step of writing to drivers to encourage them to join Addison Lee, who are now placing a heavy cost burden on drivers. Earlier this month, the Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) judged that Addison Lee denied drivers basic employment rights.

The EAT's judgement agreed with an earlier judgement from the Employment Tribunal which stated Addison Lee drivers were misclassified as independent contractors and should be classed as limb (b) workers, who are entitled to the minimum wage, holiday pay and other worker rights. The IWGB are demanding:

Addison Lee immediately respect collective bargaining rights and enter into pay negotiations with the IWGBAddison Lee immediately obey the rulings of the Employment Tribunal and Employment Appeal Tribunal and respect limb (b) worker rightsLuton Council intervene to regulate Addison Lee and make worker rights a condition of licensingLondon Luton Airport must enforce worker rights and payment of the Luton Airport worker's living wage as a condition of Addison Lee's continued right to the airport concession

The IWGB also has a case against Uber in the Court of Appeal, following the decision in the Employment Appeal Tribunal that they were also limb (b) workers.

Yaseen Aslam, lead claimant in the Uber worker rights case and Secretary of the United Private Hire Drivers (UPHD) Branch of the IWGB said: "The treatment of workers by Addison Lee at Luton Airport is truly shocking. Drivers are subjected to bullying and continuous denial of their rights by a company that puts profit before any other consideration. The council and airport authority must now step in to end this abuse."

November 23, 2018 at 03:26PM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI Perry Richardson THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

People in London and Edinburgh set to be the first to trial self-driving vehicle services says Government

via taxi-point https://ift.tt/2Kw27Zq

People in London and Edinburgh will soon be the first in the UK to experience self-driving vehicle services as part of 3 new public trials announced yesterday by Business and Energy Secretary Greg Clark on a visit to Oxbotica, part of one of the winning consortia.

Once the preserve of science fiction and Hollywood films, the projects will allow the public to ride autonomous buses on a 14-mile route across the Forth Bridge, as well as book self-driving “taxis” to travel around parts of London. The projects were selected following a competitive process and will share a £25 million government grant through the fourth round of the Connected and Autonomous Vehicles Intelligent Mobility Fund. Each pilot combines the strengths of leading names from business, technology and academia - including Jaguar Land Rover, Addison Lee, Fusion Processing, Oxbotica, and the universities of Nottingham and the West of England - and support the government’s ambition to have self-driving vehicles on UK roads by 2021 through the modern Industrial Strategy and Future of Mobility Grand Challenge. Business Secretary Greg Clark said: “Self-driving cars will revolutionise the way we move goods and people around the UK. These Industrial Strategy projects and investments are exciting examples of our long-term plan in action - ensuring we build on our strengths to reap the rewards as we accelerate towards our ambition to have autonomous vehicles on UK roads by 2021.“Autonomous vehicles and their technology will not only revolutionise how we travel, it will open up and improve transport services for those who struggle to access both private and public transport.“The UK is building on its automotive heritage and strengths to develop the new vehicles and technologies and from 2021 the public will get to experience the future for themselves.” All the projects will include social behavioural research to further explore how driverless technology can seamlessly integrate into society, with the findings applied to the development for future autonomous service models. Future of Mobility Minister Jesse Norman said: “The UK is a world leader in transport innovation, and our work on the Future of Mobility Grand Challenge will ensure this long continues.“Automated driving technology is advancing rapidly, and the UK market for connected and autonomous vehicles is forecast to be worth up to £52 billion by 2035.“This pioneering technology will bring significant benefits to people right across the country, improving mobility and safety, and driving growth across the UK.” The Centre for Connected Autonomous Vehicles was established in 2015 to ensure the UK is a world-leader in the development and testing of self-driving technologies. £250 million, match-funded by industry, is being invested by the government, propelling self-driving technology in the UK. To further strengthen the environment for testing and development of self-driving technologies, £18 million is also being awarded to four successful projects through the Meridian 2 and 3 competition. The Meridian 2 project will develop a digital platform to allow the exchange of data which technology developers and fleet operators can use to deliver better transport systems, while the Meridian 3 projects will focus on developing controlled test environments for highways, and public test environments for highways and rural roads.

November 23, 2018 at 07:20AM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI Perry Richardson THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Undercover sting catches nine Private Hire drivers illegally plying for hire during a single night in busy city centre

via taxi-point https://ift.tt/2r0ONDl

Manchester City Council joined forces with Greater Manchester Police to undertake a sting operation - Operation Aztec - to catch private hire drivers who were illegally plying for hire.

Plain clothed officers posing as shoppers approached parked PHVs and asked the drivers to take them on a paid journey.

A total of nine drivers were caught by the undercover officers accepting the trips even though they were not pre-booked.

It is illegal for private hire drivers to accept fares which are not booked in advance. Only Hackney Carriage Taxi's are permitted to undertake such journeys.

The offenders were intercepted by marked police cars upon acceptance of payment and subsequently had their vehicles inspected. The drivers were also interviewed and warned that they could be liable for prosecution.

One driver was found to have been driving without sufficient insurance and had his vehicle seized and impounded by Greater Manchester police.

According to The Mancunion, 66 cases have been pursued after a private hire driver was found to have illegally picked up passengers in the last two years.

Drivers found guilty of operating illegally are likely to either have their private hire licence revoked by their licensing authority, face a hefty fine (which can reach up to £7,500) or receive between six to eight penalty points on their driving licence.

Councillor Rabnawaz Akbar, Executive Member for Neighbourhoods, who went out with officers during Operation Aztec, stressed that passengers are putting themselves at risk if they use unbooked vehicles. Akbar said he saw many people putting themselves at risk by getting into un-booked vehicles.

When passengers enter an un-booked vehicle they are not insured. In the event of an accident, the passenger will have no injury cover.

Passengers are also putting themselves at risk of attacks by rogue drivers. If a trip is not pre-booked then there would be no record of a journey having taken place and the driver cannot be tracked. Akbar added: “The number of drivers caught during just one night of action should serve as a warning to others who think they can get away with illegally activity. They should be in no doubt that if they are caught, the council will take them to court.”

November 23, 2018 at 06:59AM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI Michael Murphy THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Taxi driver ordered to pay almost £1,000 for smoking in vehicle and littering

via taxi-point https://ift.tt/2r1TRaq

A taxi driver from Newport has been prosecuted for smoking in her vehicle on a number of occasions and littering. Helen Elizabeth Jones had previously received fixed penalty notices in 2016 and 2018 for smoking in her taxi and littering. Jones failed to pay one of those FPN’s and was subsequently fined £220 plus costs. She was then seen by a senior council manager again smoking in her vehicle and then throwing the butt out the window in June of this year. It’s against the Health Act 2006 for anyone, including the driver, to smoke in a taxi and because of previous offences the decision was made on this occasion to proceed straight to a prosecution rather than issuing another fixed penalty notice. Added to the prosecution were two other occasions when community safety wardens witnessed her smoking in her taxi. In total, Miss Jones was prosecuted for three counts of smoking in a taxi and one of littering at Cwmbran Magistrates Court. Jones failed to attend her hearing and was found guilty in her absence of all offences. According to a report in the South Wales Argus, Jones was fined £200 for each smoking offence due to her persistent offending and blatant disregard for the law. In total she was ordered to pay a total of £980, including costs.

November 22, 2018 at 07:51PM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI Michael Murphy THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Newcastle cabbie attacked by knifeman

via taxi-point https://ift.tt/2BpyhTs

A Newcastle cabbie has been attacked by a man "charging" at him with a knife.

The cabbie, who was driving through the Benwell area of Newcastle upon Tyne, when a man armed with a bladed weapon attacked the glass of the Peugeot vehicle, and tried to stab the driver through his window.

It is believed that the incident occured after the cabbie narrowly missed hitting the knifemans dog as it ran into the road.

The driver was said to be shaken but unhurt, with the vehicle also receiving minimal, superficial damage.

The incident took place on 19th November at around 11.30am in Armstrong Road.

Enquiries into the incident are ongoing and anyone with information should call 101 quoting log .

November 22, 2018 at 07:13PM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI Steve Kenton THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

War on motorists sees car cloning on the rise as drivers try to evade fines

via taxi-point https://ift.tt/2KrnmLZ

The war on motorists has seen I stark increase in "car cloning" as drivers try to evade fines imposed on them by councils and local authorities.

Research performed by Honest Johnhas uncovered evidence that "car cloning" in London alone has risen by an incredible 50%.

The research showed that the number of Penalty Charge Notices issued for entering the Congestion Zone without paying increased by 50 per cent in 2017. The website, which specialises in motoring, analysed TfL figures for Congestion Charge zone fines and found that 1,652 cases had been cancelled last year due to the offending vehicle being a clone of another motorist's vehicle.

The Daily Mail reported that vehicles which have been fitted with duplicate or cloned plates are also being used to evade tge Automatic Number Plate Reading (ANPR) system.

Cloned vehicles create a huge problem for innocent motorists as the onus is then placed on the legitimate owner that they have in fact committed no offence, in effect the driver is considered guilty unless proven innocent.

It is believed that the figure quoted is just the tip of what may be an enormous iceberg. Cloning has been a problem for decades, however the increase in numbers cannot simply be attributed to "traditional" criminal activity.

There is a groundswell of discord amongst drivers who have had enough of what is seen as punitive punishments for minor, and in some cases non-existant driving infractions. This in turn may be leading drivers to take action to prevent being unfairly penalised.

The taxi industry has been warning the authorities for a number of years that this problem is becoming more and more widespread, but falling of seemingly deaf ears.

One of the biggest problems facing motorists when encountering cloned vehicles is the lack of accountability when involved in collisions. Cloning leaves an offending driver virtually untraceable.

Advice being given when discovering a vehicle is cloned is to gather as much evidence as possible, as well as CCTV and GPS tracking evidence where possible, so as to prove that the offending vehicles details were duplicated.

November 22, 2018 at 06:33PM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI Steve Kenton THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Crack-cab! Welsh taxi driver found selling crack cocaine from his cab

via taxi-point https://ift.tt/2DSiBdR

A Welsh taxi driver was caught selling crack cocaine from his black cab as he was "trying to make ends meet".

The driver Rhys John Hearn was caught as South Wales police officers had suspicions as he picked up passengers in Swansea.Police found the 27-year-old driver with over £200 cash, 10 wraps of crack cocaine and also a small amount of cocaine which he claims helps keep himself awake.Sian Cutter, prosecuting, said the South Wales officers were patrolling in Swansea when they noticed a black cab pull over, pick up a man and a woman from a bus stop, and then proceeded to drive a short distance to a side street nearby. The court heard that the police then searched the taxi to find a plastic Kinder egg capsule in the vehicle containing 10 wraps of crack cocaine. The police also found £225 cash, two mobile phones and a small amount of cocaine.

The driver told officers at the scene that he was "just trying to make ends meet" according to Wales Online.

Hearn pleaded guilty to multiple charges including being concerned in the supply of crack, supplying crack, possessing crack with intent to supply, and possession of cocaine.Swansea Magistrates Court heard he had four previous convictions for six offences, one of which included possession of Class A drugs.Sentancing will be dealt with at Swansea Crown Court next month whilst Hearn was released on bail until that date.

November 22, 2018 at 01:15PM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI Perry Richardson THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Second City Clean Air Zone will destroy Black Taxi trade drivers warn

via taxi-point https://ift.tt/2R4275g

Drivers of Birmingham city's black taxi trade have warned that the iconic industry will be decimated by the imposed pollution charge which is set to come into effect at the start of 2020.

According to sources, only 72 hackney carriage, out of the current 1,265 licensed vehicles, will be complaint with emission standards set out for the new Clean Air Zone.

Drivers voiced their concerns during a heated meeting of the authority's Licensing and Public Protection Committee on Wednesday according to a report in the Birmingham Live.

Saj Mahmood, from RMT union has highlighted their need to work with the council, but says that they have come across with a "hammer, bang."

The influx of out-of-town drivers (those licensed by other authorities) that is already destroying the local trade was also brought up.

The committee has agreed to complete an eight-week consultation with the public and drivers later this month around the proposed changes. One of the ideas is to scrap the 'exceptional condition test' which allows Hackney Carriages to be used once they are more than 14 years old, providing they are deemed road-worthy. 65 Birmingham black cabs were recently converted to liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), which was organised through a government pilot scheme.

November 22, 2018 at 11:03AM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI Michael Murphy THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Investigation into Private Hire licence bribery shows no wrongdoings despite leaked video

via taxi-point https://ift.tt/2OXyyQQ

An investigation into the alleged bribery scandel by a private hire driver who was recorded on a phonecall supposedly offering to assist another driver who had his licence suspended, have it reinstated has come back with findings of "no wrongdoings" by all parties.

Leeds City Council launched the investigation after a leaked video was posted on Youtube in April. West Yorkshire Police said it also 'looked into' allegations of attempted bribery.

The video, where you can hear a conversation between a man who it seems was attempting to have a friend’s private hire licence reinstated and a man from a private hire firm who claimed to have someone on the inside of Leeds City Council, can clearly be heard saying "whoever I've got inside will need paying" sparked concerns over possible bribery within the licensing authority, but after a 'thorough and robust investigation' no one will be punished.

As reported in the Leeds Live, Leeds City Council has said that it is disappointed that their reputation has been called into question by what has proved to be a baseless accusation.

In the video the man - who works for a taxi firm in Leeds - agrees to help a suspended driver get his private hire licence back during a phone call. But he goes on to say the driver will need to bring money because 'whoever I've got inside needs paying'. The man makes the scandalous statement after the private hire driver on the other end of the phone asks him to help a fellow driver, who has allegedly been suspended because he 'slapped his wife' and 'she complained'. The man can then be heard saying 'don't spread it around though will you?'

In a statement, the council said it takes 'any allegations of this nature extremely seriously' and that's why it immediately launched an investigation into the claims made in the video, but there was no evidence to substantiate or support the allegations made so therefore no action will be taken.

November 22, 2018 at 07:19AM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI Michael Murphy THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Uber, Google and Apple advised to share mapping information

via taxi-point https://ift.tt/2DROVNI

The Open Data Institute have told tech giants Uber, Google and Apple that they should be sharing mapping data.

The data advisory group has told the UK government that tech companies who gather mapping information but do not share their data, could create an environment which will stifle innovation.

IT Pro revealed that the report, which was published on Tuesday shows that the value of that data may be worth between £6 and £11 billion per annum to the government.

Whilst the government have an open-access policy to geo-spatial data, private companies do not afford the same access to the information which they have harvested.

The Open Data Institute is an organisation founded by World-Wide Web inventor, Tim Berners-Lee and artificial intelligence professor, Nigel Shadbolt.

It is believed that by allowing free access to geo-spatial information, technologies and resources can be developed more efficiently.

November 21, 2018 at 09:10PM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI Steve Kenton THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Lisson Grove attacks: Responses from Cressida Dicks' office and from Finbar King at the Metropolitan Police

via taxi-point https://ift.tt/2ziMQGH

In the wake of the attacks on taxi drivers in the Lisson Grove area and due to the increasingly violent nature of those attacks, TaxiPoint recently e-mailed Cressida Dick, Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police.

TaxiPoint has received two responses from both the Commissioners office as well as Westminster Borough Command, however there has been a controversial twist as Cressida Dick claimed on BBC London news that she was unaware of incidents pertaining to the Lisson grove area.

An initial response came from the staff officer to the commissioner, who said:

"The Commissioner is determined to bear down on all forms of serious violence and protect those who live and work in London – particularly those who provide such vital support to Londoner’s as taxi drivers do."

The e-mail was then passed to the Westminster Borough Commander and to the Roads and Transport Policing Command.

Finbar King, the inspector responsible for all aspects of neighbourhood policing across the City of Westminster, excluding the four wards making up the West End said:

"Having reviewed the crimes recorded, the number of offences of this nature reported over the summer were relatively low, 2 in June, 2 in July, 4 in August and 0 in September, however there has been a recent increase with 10 similar reports having been made in October, and one theft from motor vehicle reported thus far in November."

He then added:

"The majority of these reports have not involved violence and are recorded as thefts, 3 offences have been recorded as robberies where the victims were punched, these all occurred in October. 9 offences happened in a 9 day period at the start of October.

Having reviewed the offences, some of these crimes were not reported to police at the time of the offence but have been reported 1-2 days later and have limited investigative opportunities through which to identify the suspects adding to the difficulty in prosecuting the offenders."

Inspector King went on further to say:

"Recent offences have been reported immediately, RTPC colleagues have been pro-actively getting this message to drivers. It may be that other offences go completely unreported too. Reference has been made to a linked series of offences in the Kensington area, I am aware of one robbery offence in October with a link to the Paddington / Marleybone area, where a taxi driver was robbed by passengers who had been picked up in the SW7 area asking to be taken to Little Venice, the driver was subsequently robbed on Regent Street by the passengers."

Inspector King then went on to describe the methods typically used by the attackers, which involve driver distraction and then theft as well as the more elaborate ruse of requesting the use of a wheelchair ramp so as to get the driver out of the front seat. Basic guidance on crime prevention was then given, this included, keeping front doors locked, staying inside the front of the vehicle, remaining cautious when transporting young men around thevLisson Grove area, keeping valuables out of sight and if falling victim of crime, alqays reporting the incident as soon as possible.

Inspector King finally added that Lisson Grove is currently subject to enhanced patrol activity, both overt and covert and as a result one offence has been reported thus far in November, and two offences in total being reported since the 09/10.

November 21, 2018 at 06:19PM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI Steve Kenton THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

London cabbies set to demo following planned Tooley Street taxi exclusion

via taxi-point https://ift.tt/2TtyEDz

London cab drivers are set to demonstrate as regulators announce plans to restrict taxis access at Tooley Street.

Transport for London are proposing to change the layout of Tooley Street. According to the regulators the changes will reduce road danger, improve air quality, and provide better facilities to enable people to walk, cycle and use public transport, supporting the objectives of the Mayor’s Transport Strategy (MTS). However, cabbies in the capital are up in arms with decision. A militant unofficial driver group has called for drivers to take part in a demonstration starting 4pm Monday 26th November and then everyday after.

The group called the Proactive ITA has the support from official driver representatives the LCDC. The group hope to gain access in all bus lanes in the capital highlighting the public transport status of a London licensed taxi.

A spokesperson from the LTDA said last week via Twitter: “The consultation on the proposed scheme in Tooley Street is in direct contravention of the MTS. We have written to Heidi Alexander and Transport Commissioner pointing this out and asking for public comment.“ The UCG have also shown their dismay last week by saying: “The United Cabbies Group see the possible banning of Taxis from Tooley Street as a restriction of trade. We are fully wheelchair accessible and being forced to buy a £63k electric taxi. With this in mind we are not ruling out any demos.”

November 21, 2018 at 12:27PM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI Perry Richardson THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Siemens and ubitricity rollout first London EV lamppost charging points

via taxi-point https://ift.tt/2OVw0my

Southwark Council joined Siemens and its technology partner ubitricity to unveil their first electric vehicle charge points using existing lampposts in the borough.

Taxi driver Reiss Woodward is one of ten drivers involved in the trial.

The charge points have initially been installed in Neckinger Road and will provide an on-street charging service to residents.The chargers being installed are part of the new London procurement framework and the fact that these chargers can be integrated into existing infrastructure should mean a faster roll out than other on-street charging infrastructure. Southwark Council is in discussions to install around 60 of these sockets to help residents who do not have access to off-street parking and therefore need to park and charge at home, on-street. The ubitricity SimpleSocketPlus offers councils proven technology to retrofit the city’s street lights, providing convenient and affordable electric vehicle charging points for residents and visitors alike. The sockets can be installed directly into the existing street light, eliminating the need the for additional infrastructure and minimising the need for any new street clutter. Uniquely requiring no external components, they are ideal for any residential, community or business area, preserving both the look and feel of the street.

Where the street light is installed at the back of the footway, the Worcester manufactured self-righting and passive safe NAL EV charging bollard is deployed. These charge points see a number of firsts for London, and possibly anywhere in or out of the UK. Users are offered two simple access methods to charge their vehicles.Pay As You Go – bring your own standard charging cable, simply plug-in, scan a QR code with your smartphone’s camera or free download app (on iOS and Android), enter your payment details and charging commences at a flat rate of 24p/kWh. No monthly fee, just pay for the kWhs you use.The ubitricity SmartCable – bring your own personal energy tariff with you to any ubitricity charge point. From as little as 16.2p/kWh, your SmartCable is plug-and-play, no QR code, no RFID card, just connect and come back in the morning. The first Southwark resident to use these charge points is Reiss, a recent convert to the iconic electric LEVC black taxi. Taxi drivers, just like any other London residents, need a convenient and affordable method of charging their vehicle when they get home from work, be it early evening or early morning. Cllr Richard Livingstone, Cabinet Member at Southwark Council said: “These electric vehicle charge points are being installed in residential streets, outside people’s homes, in response to feedback from our residents. “We want to help people to make decisions that improve air quality here in Southwark, be that by walking, cycling and taking public transport, or by using clean fuel. These new charge points are making it easier than ever for people who live in Southwark to make the switch to electric vehicles.”

November 20, 2018 at 06:31PM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI Perry Richardson THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT