LEVC and Geely to align future product portfolio and strategies to create commercial vehicle line-up

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LEVC and Geely New Energy Commercial Vehicles, LEVC’s parent company, have today announced a move to create a seamless portfolio of electric commercial vehicles for markets across the world. This new strategy will create a line-up of electric commercial vehicles, with potential for more electric van derivatives for cities, as well as ensuring that the company’s electric commercial vans can be developed, manufactured and marketed globally. There are now more than 1,000 LEVC TX eCity electric taxis on London’s roads and the product has experienced export success in Germany and the Netherlands with total sales set to double in 2019. Building on this success the new combined global strategy will enable both LEVC and GCV to take advantage of substantial increases in demand for electric commercial vehicles over the next decade. Chris Gubbey, CEO, LEVC said: “With an urgent need for clean air in cities across the world, global demand for electric commercial vehicles is set to grow significantly, and this move represents a huge vote of confidence in LEVC by Geely. The creation of a new global strategy focused entirely on electric commercial vehicles makes strategic sense and will allow us the opportunity to create a wider range of new products. This move will help to increase choice, lower development and production costs.” Faced with immediate market challenges related to the macro environment, whilst also recognising the substantial uplift in the market potential over the coming years, both GCV and LEVC conducted a thorough review of its electric commercial van strategy. Whilst it will remain independently run within the Group, LEVC will now work in closer partnership with GCV playing an important role globally in developing and proving new technologies in mature markets, that are now being exploited across the Group. Geoff Dong, CFO, LEVC & Geely UK said: “With the successful introduction of the TX eCity, LEVC has allowed us to prove our vehicle concept and technology in the toughest commercial vehicle market in the world. Our updated strategy is a demonstration of Geely’s continued commitment to the UK and investment in LEVC over the long term. We are essentially facing two opposing challenges, incredible growth in the potential for electric commercial vehicles, whilst there are some immediate obstacles related to our macro environment and intensifying competition. These twin dynamics enabled us to strengthen our strategy and create global alignment.” The new strategy will mean that the electric van will now come to market in the early 2020s. This decision does not affect production of the TX eCity, LEVC’s iconic electric taxi.

January 08, 2019 at 02:44PM http://bit.ly/2UVulRY Perry Richardson THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Warning other road users of speed trap locations is an offence that comes with a fine of up to £1,000

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How many times have you flashed an oncoming vehicle to warn of a speed trap they are approaching? Well according to Rule 110 of the Highway Code, you are committing an offence. Rule 110 states that you can’t flash your headlights to convey messages to other motorists. There’s also another route used by some to warn other drivers of speed camera locations; social media! And guess what — that could well be considered an offence in contravention of section 89 of the 1996 Police Act which states: “Any person who resists or wilfully obstructs a Constable in the execution of his duty, or a person assisting a Constable in the execution of his duty, shall be guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to imprisonment for a term not exceeding one month or a fine not exceeding level 3 on the standard scale, or to both.” Really? I hear you say — yes! And if caught doing so, the fine could be up to £1,000. Posting any warning of any police speed traps on social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter would be considered as obstructing an officer’s work and assisting the prevention of the fine of someone who may commit an offence if they were not warned in advance. So next time you consider a “heads-up” to your fellow road users, bare in mind it could well be considered an offence that comes with some rather harsh punishment.

January 08, 2019 at 09:27AM http://bit.ly/2UVulRY Michael Murphy THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Local cab firm contributed to heartwarming gesture which kept homeless people off the streets over Christmas

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A local minicab firm from Northampton gave a heartwarming gift to 15 homeless people over Xmas by working together with the Hope Centre and hotel chain Travelodge to offer free accommodation for two nights. Bounds Taxis of Northampton gave presents to each of the 15 guests who would normally of been sleeping on the streets over the festive period. The Northampton Chronicle first reported the wonderful gesture which was said to leave some in tears. The regional manager of Bounds Taxis has said they hope a similar scheme can be repeated throughout the year and has encouraged other firms to join in the amazing gesture. Hats off to all those who contributed.

January 07, 2019 at 02:06PM http://bit.ly/2UVulRY Michael Murphy THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Are some Uber Eats and Deliveroo drivers working illegally?

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It has been revealed that Deliveroo and Uber Eats couriers have been renting out their jobs to “illegal immigrants” via the internet. The Daily Mail has reported that couriers from both companies are advertising their jobs on social media, allowing others to then operate on their respective platforms, without performing any form of checks on any given individual. It has been alleged that individuals are being shipped in from abroad, which may include illegal immigrants, and are then using other registered drivers accounts for payment. Couriers are allowed to sub-let their account, provided that adequate identity checks are performed, however whilst Deliveroo and Uber Eats do ask for proof of identification, a proof of the right to work in the UK and a valid driving license, Deliveroo do not ask for confirmation of this and Uber Eats ask for proof to be submitted within 24 hours. According to a Times investigation It is believed that Deliveroo are aware of the situation, and have been for several months. It was reported that in one Uber/Deliveroo social media group, a courier was advertising a job with both Uber and Deliveroo for between £60 and £70 on each platform. The right for a driver to be able to be substituted is a legal requirement according to Uber Eats, whilst Deliveroo have stated that the allegations are unproven.

January 07, 2019 at 12:52PM http://bit.ly/2UVulRY Steve Kenton THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

London Uber driver who live streamed himself beating his estranged wife sentenced to jail

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38-year-old Uber driver Rahman Ullah from Croydon has been jailed for 14 months for threatening to kill his estranged wife while his family in Pakistan watched on a WhatsApp video call. Ullah severely beat his victim with a shoe, leaving her with two black eyes as well as other injuries. Members of Ullah’s family in Pakistan watched the live stream as he mimicked stabbing his 34-year-old estranged wife with a kitchen knife. The court heard how the pair had split from their thirteen year marriage twelve months before the sickening attack. Ullah tricked his way into his victims home when he was supposed to pick his daughter up to take to school. He convinced his daughter to hand over the front door key so he could gain access and attack her mother. Once gaining access to the flat, Ullah called his mother and brother by WhatsApp video and told them that he was “going to kill her today”. He began to hit her with the heel of his shoe ten to fifteen times. His wife attempted to escape the brutal attack but was caught and dragged back into the home where she was then threatened with a kitchen knife. The court heard that Ullah approached his wife with the knife at hand and began a “stabbing motion” while telling her “I’m going to stab you”. Ullah, who was a driver for ride-hailing app Uber, was arrested and claimed it was his wife that attacked him and had in fact been the aggressor during the altercation. He eventually pleaded guilty to assaulting his wife and causing actual bodily harm. Sentencing Ullah to 14 months in jail at Croydon Crown Court, Recorder Tom Forster said: “You were engaged in a WhatsApp video call to Pakistan, informing them you were going to kill her. “Not content with your boorish behaviour you pursued her to the communal hallway and by her hair dragged her back into the flat. “She was understandably tearful and you tormented her with a knife as a weapon to threaten and filmed the whole thing on a phone”. As reported in UK Asian Magazine, Ullah was also made subject to an indefinite restraining order.

January 07, 2019 at 09:39AM http://bit.ly/2UVulRY Michael Murphy THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Police appeal for help following GBH on Milton Keynes cabbie

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Thames Valley Police is appealing for witnesses following an incident of grievous bodily harm in Milton Keynes.

At around 4.30am on Thursday 27 December the victim, a 40-year-old man who works as a taxi driver, picked up two men from Watling Street in Bletchley.The victim pulled up in Wallinger Drive, where both men attempted to leave the taxi without paying a fare.One of the offenders approached the driver side door, removed him from the vehicle and violently assaulted him.The assault stopped after a vehicle flashed its lights at the offenders, who then walked away.The victim sustained a fracture to his left eye socket, a grazed knee, and cuts and bruises. He was taken to Milton Keynes University Hospital and has since been discharged.The first offender is described as white, aged between 25 and 30 years old, of medium build with short light coloured hair. He was dressed in a grey jacket.The second offender is described as black, aged in his early to mid-twenties, has an athletic build and medium length curly hair. He was dressed in a brown/yellow coloured jumper.Investigating officer Detective Constable Mandy Banfield, of Milton Keynes Force CID, said: “We are appealing for witnesses to this assault which was a traumatic experience for the victim.“We are particularly eager to locate the driver of the vehicle which flashed its headlights towards the offenders before they walked away. We would hope this person has information which could help our investigation.“Anyone with information is urged to get in touch with us as soon as possible.”

January 07, 2019 at 06:38AM http://bit.ly/2UVulRY THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Nicklas Bendtner begins sentence for attacking cabbie

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Former Arsenal striker and Danish international, Nicklas Bendtner has begun his 50 day sentence for assaulting a taxi driver last September.

Bendtner hit the driver in the face after refusing to pay his fare, claiming to have been acting in self defence after a bottle was allegedly thrown at him.

He will serve his 50 day sentence at his home, whilst wearing a tag. It has however been revealed in The Independent that the taxi driver has also lost his job.

It is alleged that the enraged cabbie pursued Bendtner and his girlfriend, driving aggressively at them, after being "bilked" by Bendtner. 30 year old Bendtner dropped his appeal in November and will be returning to his current club, Rosenberg in March.

January 06, 2019 at 09:33PM http://bit.ly/2UVulRY Steve Kenton THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Dartford Crossing petition close to reaching government acknowledgement

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A campaign launched to fight for the abolition of the Dartford Crossing toll has exceeded 10,000 signatures, which will be enough to force the government into a written response.

The petition was launched by Neil D'Silva, in response to the government continually reneging on an agreement to abolish the charges.

In February 1999, the government agreed that fees would be abolished once the bridge had paid for itself, and therefore by the end of 2003 would be toll free.

However in 2001, the government announced that it was reneging on that agreement, sparking outrage from motorists and motoring organisations. It has continued reneging on that agreement ever since, putting a financial burden on all road users, including taxi drivers and private hire drivers.

Powers to introduce a charge were agreed by Parliament in the Transport Act 2000, and the charge was then implemented in 2003.

The petition is now sitting at 16,943 signatures, which will now force a government response. If it reaches 100,000 signatures there will have to be a debate in parliament on the subject.

The campaign will run until the end of February.

January 06, 2019 at 08:52PM http://bit.ly/2UVulRY Steve Kenton THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Fake Taxi adult sex channel enthusiast still patrolling University city - but now has additional stickers on vehicle

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A law student who was allegedly trying to convince girls to take a ride in his fake “Fake Taxi” is still roaming the streets of Coventry months after first being spotted. A warning was issued by Coventry University to all female students to stay well clear of the man who had been seen parked up nearby in his vehicle which had the infamous porn channel “Fake Taxi” stickers advertised on the outside. West Midlands police had confirmed that they had spoken to the man but were unable to charge him with any offences. In the latest sightings which have been reported in The Tab, the vehicle has now been updated with some additional stickers including one that reads “I love my girlfriend”, “Gas, grass or ass - No one pays for free” and “If you get any closer you’d better have a condom”. The initial report was seen by the real Fake Taxi adult channel, which they responded to. They completely denied having any links with the man and his vehicle and even advised on social media for people to “Avoid”. People are still advised to not get in the vehicle and to only use trusted services although the man has since said he is just doing it as a bet and has no bad intentions.

January 06, 2019 at 05:39PM http://bit.ly/2UVulRY Michael Murphy THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

London Mayor policies failing badly says Association of British Drivers

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London’s population is still growing rapidly, albeit the rate of growth has slackened slightly of late. That increases the demand for travel in London. A recently published report from Transport for London (TfL) highlights the trends in travel in different modes – see below for a link to the full report. Here’s some of the key points:

The average number of trips per day in 2017/18 was 2.1. That figure has been falling in recent years and is similar to national trends. It probably reflects the difficulties of travel in the UK and in London, the higher cost, the fact that the population is ageing and the increase in remote working and telecommuting. From 2010 to 2017 the proportion of trips by walking, cycling and public transport in London increased only slightly from 62.6% to 62.7%. The trend to more “sustainable and active” travel modes has actually flattened out in the latest 2 years. In other words, the recent Mayoral policies to get people to change their travel modes to what he wants has been a dismal failure. But the Mayor is not giving up. The Mayor and TfL still believe there is a large scope for mode shift according to the report, but that is surely a figment of their imagination. Based on the data below, the Mayor will no doubt be focussed on getting those who live in outer London to change their ways – you have been warned! Road traffic in London increased only slightly by 0.1% in 2017. There was no growth in car traffic but LGVs rose by 1.9% probably due to more internet shopping deliveries. The general trend in car traffic levels in London is shown in this chart:

This probably reflects improved public transport (e.g. more buses that have been heavily subsidised and more underground/rail/tram/DLR services) and the degradation of the road network with fewer and more expensive parking facilities, particularly in central London, in the last 20 years. But note the relatively lower decline in outer London and the fact that since 2013 the decline has ceased in all areas.

The Congestion Charge (a.k.a. tax) in central London is not the cause of the reduction there because inner London has also shown sharp declines to which the Charge does not apply. It might have more to do with increased congestion and hence higher trip times in central and inner London for the reasons given above. Both bus journeys and underground usage have been falling – bus trips down by 6.5% in 2017 since 2014, and underground trips fell by 1.1% in 2017 although that had grown in previous years. These figures reflect perhaps the high costs of public transport, the overcrowding on the underground and on some bus routes in rush hours and the fact that bus journey times have been slowing due to traffic congestion. It can simply be quicker to walk in central London! Cycling figures suggest that numbers of trips were unchanged in 2017, but distances travelled were greater suggesting there are more long-distance cycling commuters and more trips in outer London. This might be the result of economic incentives to cycle as public transport fares increased (particularly national rail serving outer London) and more cycle superhighways. Cycle usage as a proportion of overall trips remains low at 2% however despite the massive investment in cycle infrastructure in recent years. Cycling is still relatively unpopular among the elderly, among females and those of a non-white or mixed- race background according to the report. Walking trip rates have been in decline in London in recent years despite the Mayor’s policies. Young adult walk rates fell by 22% between 2011/12 and 2017/18 for example. The impact of “healthy streets” and “active travel” policies promoted by the Mayor are conspicuously absent from the data in TfL’s report. Free travel passes both for those in education and for the elderly have clearly had a negative impact on walking rates. If the Mayor is serious about encouraging more active travel, that’s surely one hand-out he should cancel. As an aside, the recent introduction of 16-17 and 26-30 railcards has been promoted as a generous offering to help the young, but is it not just another way to charge less to more impecunious customers and more to the others? Anyone familiar with economics will know that this is a tactic to maximise profits. In the case of railcards, which have time of travel restrictions, it’s also a way to smooth out travel demand and fill those otherwise empty seats at off-peak times. Another failing Mayoral policy has been that on improving road safety. In 2017 the number of fatalities actually increased to 131 – up 15 on 2016. There were marked increases in pedestrian and cyclist casualties. Overall KSIs also rose in 2017 (by 2%) although that figure might be distorted by changes in casualty reporting. The roll-out of wide area 20 mph zones financed with many millions of pounds of funding from TfL and which was supposed to have a major impact on pedestrian casualties has clearly been every ineffective. In relation to improved public transport capacity to serve the growing population, that simply did not happen in 2017 – “place kilometres” remained unchanged. That’s surely another Mayoral policy failure and resulted in higher public transport overcrowding. But service reliability on buses and London underground plus DLR/trams did improve. Surface rail was patchy though.The full London Travel Report can be read here. It looks like it’s been written by public relations consultants as it presents a positive spin on the data when any detailed reading tells you a very different story.

But in summary it shows how the policies pursued by Transport for London, and by both the current and previous Mayors, have been a dismal failure. Lots of expenditure on the promotion of cycling and walking have not influenced travel behaviour much while expenditure on road safety has been misdirected with negative consequences. Improvements in public transport infrastructure have failed to cope with the increase in population which has been promoted rather than discouraged.

January 06, 2019 at 12:03PM http://bit.ly/2UVulRY Roger Lawson - ABD THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Latest ride-hailing firm Ola preparing to launch in south of England town

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Indian ride-hailing giants Ola will be pursuing an operators licence in Bournemouth as they continue their expansion across the UK, according to sources. As reported in The Bournemouth Echo, the firm, which is likely to rival Uber across the UK, is seeking to become an intrinsic part of the transportation “ecosystem” in Bournemouth. The Indian based firm, which already operate across the South West and South Wales, are intending to have 150 vehicles lined up before Bournemouth borough council considers its application. The council will now consider its request to begin operating in Bournemouth on Thursday January 10. Unlike Uber, Ola have the option for hackney carriage drivers to join the platform which will give customers the choice between traditional taxis and private hire vehicles. If granted a licence, the firm will set-up base in an office unit in the town and have a day-to-day operations manager who will liaise with its London headquarters.

January 06, 2019 at 11:32AM http://bit.ly/2UVulRY Michael Murphy THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Fuel prices drop again in December but remain too high

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Pump prices fell for the second consecutive month in December, but not by the level they should have done considering the sharp drop in the price of oil, data from RAC Fuel Watch shows. The average price of unleaded went down 2.75p from 123.67p to 120.92p and diesel reduced by 3.08p from 133.09p to 130.01p. Oil, however, crashed 14.5% from $60.31 at the start of the month to $51.52 on 27 December which should have meant prices at the pump were considerably lower.RAC Fuel Watch data shows the price of unleaded should come down in the next fortnight by more than 8p a litre to 113p a litre and diesel by 10p a litre to 120p if retailers passed on savings in the lower wholesale price. This would see the supermarkets charging around 110p a litre for petrol and 117p for diesel. At the end of December it cost on average £66.51 to fill up a 55-litre family car with unleaded – £1.51 less than November – and £71.51 for the equivalent diesel vehicle, and a saving of £1.69 on the previous month.

A litre of unleaded cost an average of 117.23p at the four biggest supermarkets, and diesel 126.76p. The average price at an Asda forecourt, however, was 114.7p a litre for petrol and 125.53p for diesel. At motorway service areas petrol was sold for an average of 138.48p and diesel for 148.14p.

But despite the overall picture showing a reduction in the cost of fuel in December, the RAC fears fuel retailing among the big four supermarkets may have changed forever – to the detriment of every driver – as only Asda is close to reflecting the lower wholesale prices at the pumps. Since mid-October the other supermarket fuel retailers have chosen not to compete as closely on the price of unleaded as they usually do – they are currently charging up to 4p a litre more for unleaded than Asda. As a result drivers across the UK have lost out as the average price of petrol should have dropped by that amount through the ripple effect caused by independents trying to match their closest supermarket rivals’ prices. RAC fuel spokesperson Simon Williams said: “While it’s good news fuel prices have fallen for the second month in a row, drivers should feel cheated they have not come down further. The problem is twofold: firstly, there should be a cut in the price of petrol to properly reflect lower wholesale prices and secondly, three of our biggest supermarkets appear no longer to be competing on the price of unleaded, in particular, as closely with the lowest price supermarket retailer, Asda. “Normally, the other three supermarkets are 1p to 1.5p more expensive on unleaded, but our data shows that since October they have abandoned this strategy in favour of pricing 2.5p to 4p higher for a litre of petrol. The decision by all supermarkets to take more profit on a litre has led to every driver having to pay more to fill up than they should have to. This is because the UK average is negatively affected as other retailers are not being forced through competition to lower their prices. “This is a highly unusual situation, the likes of which we haven’t seen before. If this new pricing behaviour continues into 2019 this could spell a bleaker year for drivers at the pumps no matter what happens to the price of wholesale fuel. Drivers could be paying around 3p a litre more for their fuel simply because of a retail pricing decision at three supermarkets which together sell a high volume of fuel. This is important as supermarkets only operate 18% of the UK’s 8,422 forecourts but sell around 45% of all the fuel. “Of course, it should also be the case that smaller retailers ought to be moving their prices down on their own without having to be forced to do so by nearby supermarkets. We commend those smaller retailers that proactively do this. “Unfortunately, unless you live near the cheapest supermarket fuel retailer or an independent retailer that is very price-competitive, the amount you pay for your petrol and diesel is likely to be far higher than it should be. “It is important to point out that every fuel retailer is at liberty to charge what they want for their petrol or diesel so aside from the Government taking the unlikely step of capping retailer margins there is little that can be done to change this. Sadly, it means motorists are completely at the mercy of retailers because just one major supermarket passing on savings in the wholesale price isn’t enough to change prices across the majority of UK forecourts. “Fortunately, despite the weakness of the pound against the dollar drivers are enjoying a cheaper time at the pumps than they were in the middle of 2018. This is due to the price of oil falling substantially due a glut in supply caused by a global economic slow-down. Even though oil producers group OPEC has agreed to limit supply there is still too much oil in circulation which has led to the price of barrel coming down.”

January 06, 2019 at 09:26AM http://bit.ly/2UVulRY Perry Richardson THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Is taxi and private hire driver safety being compromised by a lack of action from the authorities?

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When safety is spoken of within the taxi and private hire industry the focus is primarily placed upon the customer and their well-being.

There is however a glaring commission from both regulatory bodies, as well as the government where driver safety is concerned. In recent weeks we have seen drivers from both the taxi industry and the private hire sector become victims of attack from either customers or gamgs of individuals. These are not isolated incidents, yet the police seem powerless to deal with what is becoming a major problem.

In one of the latest incidents, yet another taxi driver, a female, was attacked in the Lisson Grove area of London. Despite the attack taking place on December 24, the case was closed by police just four days later, with the victim receiving what can only be perceived to be the usual standard letter in a failed attempt to placate the her. It was however noted at the bottom of the letter a sentence saying "To help us improve, you may be contacted by us, the Mayors Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC) or a conpany they appont to ask questions about the service you have received."

Now let that last sentence sink in for a brief moment.....On one had the case jas allegedly been investigated, and subsequently closed after four days, one of those days being Christmas Day, and in the same letter a question is being asked about the quality of the service.

Unless IQs have dropped sharply, one would suspect that the answer is glaringly obvious, this however, is not an isolated case, this seems to be happening with more and more regularity. Attacks on both taxi and PHV drivers are nothing new, but there is, on the surface at least, a major explosion in incidents surrounding both industries, some of them extremely serious. Let's be clear, the police cannot be blamed for how these crimes are dealt with, successive governments have wielded the knife so severely toward the thin blue line that Jack the Ripper is sitting up in his grave watching in grim admiration. As a result, the police just do not have the resources to deal with this problem. Unfortunately, what is seeming to be the norm is government sitting on its clammy hands, doing marginally less than nothing to combat the situation. So what should be done? Taxi and PHV driving is a singular industry, you are completely alone at the mercy of any given individual, you are vulnerable, with no protection. This being the case ALL vehicles which are used as taxis or private hire vehicles MUST be fitted with both internal AND external cameras as a condition of fitness. This should not fall at the drivers door where cost is concerned, there should be a ring-fencing of funds from within license payments to facilitate their purchase and installation. All crimes involving taxi or private hire should also fall under the auspices of the British Transport Police, as well as respective local police services, with a phone app linking the driver directly to the police, in the same way that the bus network has this facility. Finally sentences should be punitive, with a mandatory minimum 24 month prison sentence placed anybody who attacks a driver within the public or private transport industry. One of the reasons why the public attack lone drivers is because they know that they are highly likely to get away with it, and therefore there are are no consequences to their actions. One of the worrying aspects regarding driver safety is the fact that looking across social media, drivers are now threatening to take the law into their own hands because of the lack of support from the police and the government, and quite frankly they cannot be blamed for thinking this way, although obviously it cannot be condoned. Both the taxi and private hire industry have had statistics thrown at them like confetti by respective police service representatives, stating that there are only a certain number of attacks reported so therefore the problem cannot be as bad as os claimed. What these representatives are failing to appreciate is the fact that drivers aren't reporting the attacks because in the past and present they aren't treated as a problem, taken seriously, and in some cases not investigated at all, so they are rightly asking what the point is of reporting the crime if nothing is going to be done. Faith has been lost by both industries in the police service because of their lack understanding of the problems faced by drivers. There really does now need to be affirmative action taken, iron in the words spoken by government and local autgorities, as well as the police, instead of weak, feeble and lame excuses, which are ultimately meaningless and could potentially put honest, hard-working drivers lives at risk.

January 05, 2019 at 09:19AM http://bit.ly/2UVulRY Steve Kenton THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Pedestrians, cyclists and buses should take precedent over cars says health organisation

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Those on two feet or two wheels should be given priority when new roads are built or old ones upgraded, says the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). According to NICE the aim of planners should be to create an environment in which “to get people to be more active in their day-to-day lives by encouraging safe, convenient active travel”. The organisation also wants priority given to public transport. NICE says encouraging people to be more active is essential to help tackle looming health problems such as obesity and Type 2 diabetes. It is estimated that one in six UK deaths is related to physical inactivity (the same proportion as smoking). Steve Gooding, director of the RAC Foundation, said: “New road building is rare and where it does take place it is usually associated with housing estates. “It’s all very well making provision for walking and cycling in these developments but if the shops, schools and doctors’ surgeries that people need to get to are still miles away then for many the car will remain the most practical method of travel.” Last October Transport for New Homes made similar warnings after analysing twenty new housing developments and noting a general lack of facilities.

January 05, 2019 at 12:35AM http://bit.ly/2UVulRY Perry Richardson THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Derby taxi taken off of road due to serious defects

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A Derby registered taxi has been removed from the road, along with a number of others, after it was feared that the door may fly off.

The Derby Telegraph reported that tge police had stopped the vehicle and found it to be in a very poor state of repair.

Among the issues that were highlighted was the fact that one of the doors had a faulty catch, which made it highly likely that the door could fly open. Another issue that dogged the vehicle was that there was a leak from the fuel filter.

Another vehicle was found to have a damaged brake pipe which was on the verge of causing brake failure, whilst a third vehicle was found with badly damaged rear tyres.

Police had stopped eleven taxis yesterday, finding fault with three of them.

The vehicle with the faulty door and fuel leak was issued with an immediate prohibition order and had its plate suspended.

January 05, 2019 at 08:29AM http://bit.ly/2UVulRY THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Camden Council to restrict taxi access on Tottenham Court Road sparking imminent demonstrations

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Tottenham Court Road will see new restricted access for cars, lorries and taxis at peak times from March 2019. The busy one-way street will be converted to a two-way system with full 24-hour access only available to buses and cycles. Between 8am and 7pm Monday to Saturday, no other vehicle will be able to use the road much to the dismay of motorists. The changes come as Camden Council plans to invest £35 million to transform the area highlighting the need to improve air quality and road safety. The decision to exclude taxis on the basis of safety and air quality, but not buses, has been met by anger within the industry. The black cab, a public transport vehicle, has been overlooked despite moving to zero emission vehicles and recent concerns over bus safety. Last month Mayor Sadiq Khan said the 6,725 people injured in 12 months by outsourced London bus operators was “chilling”. Every day two people are killed or seriously injured by a London bus. Despite these figures the six bus routes that use Tottenham Court Road will benefit from improved timetabling, allowing up to 114 buses an hour to use the street during peak times. Cabbies who use Tottenham Court Road will face a £130 fine if they pass through the restrictions. Steve McNamara, General Secretary of the Licenced Taxi Drivers’ Association, said “The major arteries of London are just that, they are the main method of London’s lifeblood moving around.” Camden Council’s Adam Harrison disagreed by saying “not having taxis in the daytime will lead to 25 percent less traffic, with all the benefits for air quality and congestion that go along with it”. The move to ban taxis has quickly sparked action amongst cabbies with demos planned to start 21st January and then each day after until access is assured.

January 04, 2019 at 08:01PM http://bit.ly/2UVulRY Perry Richardson THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Uber passenger charged a £25 cleaning fee for dropping one chip in vehicle

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An Uber passenger has been charged a £25 penalty by the ride-hailing app for dropping a chip (yes that is singular) on the floor of one of their “partners” vehicles. The remarkable fine came after Rachel Pangburn, 28, after ordering a ride with her boyfriend in Greater Manchester. As reported in The Sun, an email was received by Rachel from Uber claiming the mess was so bad the car needed “professional cleaning”. According to the report, the Uber vehicle was “already dirty” and was in desperate need of a “valet”. Uber have now been slammed by Rachel who had the additional £25 deducted from her account, on top of the actual cost of the journey. She claims that the driver did not object to her eating food in the vehicle and labelled his claims as “overboard”. Rachel complained to Uber about the charge which they initially upheld, sending her a picture of the chip on the vehicle floor. Challenging the ridiculous charge, Rachel pointed out a number of crumbs that could be seen on the floor which showed the state of the vehicle before she had even entered. Since the consistent challenge, it has been reported that Uber has since refunded the £25.

January 04, 2019 at 04:21PM http://bit.ly/2UVulRY Michael Murphy THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT