Taxi driver sustains life threatening injuries from drink-driver who thought he was drinking “no alcohol beer”

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

A Lancashire taxi driver sustained life-threatening injuries in a head-on collision by a drink-driver who thought he was drinking “either low or no alcohol beer” at a party. The court at Blackburn Magistrates heard how John Paton crashed into cabbie Munir Hussain soon after he picked up a fare in Clitheroe. The collision took place around the notorious “Devil's Elbow” road on 5th August. Mr Paton who crossed onto the wrong side of the road before hitting the taxi driver and his passenger onboard said he had been drinking Miller Lite that evening, wrongly assuming it was a lower or no alcohol drink. He gave a blood reading totalling 132 against the legal limit of 80. The intoxicated driver pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol and without due care and attention. As a result he was made subject to a community order for 12 months with five days' rehabilitation activity requirement, fined £170 with £85 costs and £85 victim surcharge and banned from driving for 20 months. Mr Hussain suffered horrendous injuries as a result of the crash. He suffered a tear in his aorta, damage to his windpipe, 12 broken ribs, his left hip was broken, left knee fractured in three places, his left tibia and fibia crushed and his left ankle and foot broken. The cabbie was also bed-bound for two and a half months spending five weeks in hospital. Olivia Heys, a passenger in Mr Hussian’s taxi said there was nothing the cabbie could do to avert the situation. The defence, John Richardson, said Paton had been to a friend's 60th birthday party and had been drinking Miller Lite lager. He added "He assumed that was either low or no alcohol beer but he accepts he should have checked," Mr Richardson did add that the police and the passenger had said the taxi driver was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the accident. On the subject the defence said "Taxi drivers are not required to wear a seatbelt and there can be no criticism of him for that, but it may explain why he suffered the injuries that he did,"

November 26, 2018 at 11:01AM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI Perry Richardson THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

21 hour shift leads to Uber driving being found guilty of British man's death

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

An Uber driver has been found guilty of negligent driving occasioning death after his passenger, Englishman Samuel Thomas, stepped out of his vehicle at a red light, straight into the path of a bus. Uber driver Nazrul Islam, 32, denied responsibility for the death which occurred in Sydney, Australia, on June 17, 2017. The court heard how Mr Thomas had been out drinking with friends before a few of them decided to catch an Uber home. As reported by the Daily Mail, while sitting at a red light Mr Thomas opened the rear passenger door. Islam then accelerated off as Mr Thomas was struck by a bus.

(Image:Mr Thomas)

Magistrate Mary Ryan found that Islam did not keep a proper lookout. CCTV footage from the bus showed the internal light of Islam’s car came on indicating that something was ‘amiss’. The light was on for six seconds before Islam accelerated off, which the Magistrate believed was long enough for him to react. The court heard that Islam worked 21 hours, although claiming to of slept during breaks, before the incident and had said, through an interpreter, that he was ‘ready to drive Friday night as long as possible because it would be a busy night’.

Magistrate Ryan believed fatigue to be a main cause of Islam’s inability to react to the situation as it unfolded. Islam had only been working for Uber for three weeks before the incident and was unable to recall the ‘exact destination’ that Thomas and his two friends, Stephen Ronning and Greg Hensman, were going to but said he thinks the GPS was advising an ETA of four to five minutes. Magistrate Ryan said: “I find that he is guilty of the charge of negligent driving occasioning death beyond reasonable doubt”.

(Images:Facebook)

November 26, 2018 at 09:59AM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI Michael Murphy THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Derby cabbie hospitalised after vicious assault

via taxi-point https://ift.tt/2KC7hDe

A cab driver has been left hospitalised after a gang attacked him as he left a take-away.

The attack, which took place in Derby city centre, happened in the early hours of Sunday morning.

According to The Derby Telegraph the cabbie was attacked the moment he left the take-away by four or five people, who beat him to the ground, and then continued to punch him whilst he was on the floor.

Police, who were called at approximately 5am, arrived to find the cabbie with head injuries.

The cabbie was taken to Queens Medical Centre in Nottingham, where he remains in intensive care.

It is believed that the cabbie had finished work at the time of the attack.

A police spokesman said:

"Officers are investigating the circumstances of an assault in Derby which happened in the early hours of this morning.

At around 5.05am today (Sunday, November 25) officers were called the The Morledge in Derby city centre to reports that a man was injured. On arrival a man was found with a head injury and was taken to hospital where he remains. The investigation is in its early stages and a scene is in place whilst enquiries into the circumstances continue. Anyone with information is asked to contact us by using the following methods quoting incident number 226 of November 25.

Facebook – send us a private message to /DerbyshireConstabularyTwitter – direct message our contact centre on @DerPolContactWebsite – complete the online contact form https://ift.tt/2BxDqZz – call us on 101.

You can also call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111."

November 26, 2018 at 09:33AM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI Steve Kenton THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

LEVC ask drivers of the TX: Are you saving money on fuel?

via taxi-point https://ift.tt/2PY0UzR

November 25, 2018 at 09:30PM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI LEVC THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Cabbie fined £600 for smoking cigarettes in own cab

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

A taxi driver was handed a fine of £600 for smoking three cigarettes in her own cab.

Helen Jones, from Newport, was told by Cwmbran magistrates to pay a £200 fine for EACH of three cigarettes she lit up in her vehicle. The driver had already notched up five fixed penalty notices for smoking. Taxis are classed similar to train stations and pubs as a smoke-free place for the public under the Health Act 2006. Jones was handed the maximum fine of £200 per offence due to the "persistent offending and her blatant disregard for the law” according to The Mirror. The driver was also ordered to pay costs meaning the total fine was £980. A spokesperson from Newport council said: “The legislation to prevent smoking in smoke-free places was introduced to protect members of the public from the harmful effects of secondhand cigarette smoke. “Officers will not tolerate breaches of the law - and repeat offenders will be dealt with robustly."

November 25, 2018 at 08:43PM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI Perry Richardson THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Cabbie claims racial abuse in stone throwing row

via taxi-point https://ift.tt/2P2CwaX

A Hull cab driver has fired a broadside at a woman who claimed that he had abused her after her children kicked-up some leaves onto his car.

The Sun reported that 24 year old Sayed Sadaat had shouted abuse at Shauna Stevenson, calling her a "fat b***h after her 2 daughters were playing in some leaves.

Whilst playing in the leaves it was alleged that the children had kicked leaves onto Sadaats car, prompting an angry reaction.

However, the cabbie has told a very different story, claiming that one of Stevensons daughter had thrown a stone at his vehicle.

This, allegedly then prompted the driver to confront the mother of the 2 children. It is then alleged that she told the cabbie to "f**k off back to his own country.

Stevenson has denied Sadaats' version of events, claiming that she may have told the driver to "f**k off" but not back to hia own country.

The cabbie, who drives for 35 Taxis in Hull has reported the incident to the police as a possible hate crime.

November 25, 2018 at 06:55PM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI Steve Kenton THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Cab driver who was involved in a brawl after which a man collapsed and died from a heart attack has had his taxi driving licence revoked

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

A taxi driver from Blackpool has had his licence revoked after a man died following a brawl he was involved in.

62-year-old dual licence holder Michael Sharples' was involved in a brawl at the King's Arms, Fleetwood, on Sunday July 22 which was caught onn CCTV.

Wyre Council’s licencing committee revoked Sharples’ licence after David Allinson, who was also involved in the incident, collapsed and died outside the pub, despite efforts to save his life.

Sharples' appealed against the decision but at the hearing, which took place at Blackpool Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, the bench dismissed his appeal based on CCTV footage combined with his(Sharples') oral evidence and that of the council’s senior licensing officer.

Based on the evidence before them, the Magistrates’ court found that Mr Sharples should no longer hold his position as a taxi driver in Wyre and the council’s decision was upheld.

As reported in the Blackpool Gazette, Wyre Council said they place public safety at the heart of taxi licensing decisions and will not accept violent behaviour by licensed drivers Mr Sharples was also ordered to contribute £500 towards the council’s costs.

November 25, 2018 at 04:43PM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI Michael Murphy THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Cabbies tell LEVC what it’s like to drive the TX taxi

via taxi-point https://ift.tt/2Sd4zGN

November 25, 2018 at 10:11AM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI LEVC THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

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