Bank Junction access back on the agenda with options on the table

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City of London is to press on with further changes at Bank with one option including access for taxis

Allowing taxis access to Bank junction is one of the options to be considered by the City of London Corporation under its All Change Bank project. Whilst it is not guaranteed, it is still good news that the idea is not dead and buried and officials are willing to consider the views of the taxi trade.

As you will no doubt be aware, on 13th September 2018 the Court of Common Council (the highest committee) voted to make the experimental traffic scheme permanent, despite all the evidence showing that journey times for taxis and their passengers had been significantly affected by the trial. The ban was introduced under the Bank on Safety branch of a larger scheme called All Change at Bank which is designed to make the area less crowded and much more appealing to visit. The City’s aims are to...

Reduce casualties by simplifying the junctionReduce pedestrian crowding levelsImprove air qualityImprove the perception of the area, as a place to spend time in rather than pass through.

All Change is kicking back into action now, with three options are on the table. The option of most interest to taxi drivers is number three, which is effectively the same as it is now, but with access for cabs. This option offers the opportunity to refine what has already been achieved, and investigate a revision of the vehicle types allowed, timings of operation and whether any further turning movements can be restricted. It provides the chance for officials to investigate a limited east/west route specifically for taxis. The good thing about this option is that it is the simplest to achieve, some work, including widening footways, is already underway. The negatives, for the authority at least, are that this option offers limited scope for wholesale community improvements, which are often favoured by authorities in this day and age. Option two leans towards increasing the room available for cyclists and pedestrians, with some space “retained for some other vehicle movements (the type of vehicle is yet to be established).” This option allows the City to make the area greener, with trees, seating, shade, shelter and activity areas, but to a lesser extent than option one. It does also allow the opportunity for restricting two or three arms of the junction still further, again with some unspecified vehicle access. As things stand, this is the authority’s favoured option. Option one, is similar to option two, but would provide the greatest amount of pedestrian priority and full vehicle closure. This would also require the rerouting some London buses, with approval needed from TfL, and would take several years to complete. Whilst the City weighs up all the options, I will continue to make the trade’s case for full access to the Bank and will report in these pages as the discussions develop.Richard Massett, LTDA Chairman, and Chairman of the London Cab Ranks Committee

February 03, 2019 at 09:32PM http://bit.ly/2UVulRY Richard Massett - LTDA THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Private Hire drivers back colleagues calls for a cap on licences

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Private hire drivers on Teeside are backing one driver’s calls for a cap on the amount of licences issued. As reported in Taxipoint recently, one private hire driver stressed that the industry is in need of a major overhaul as he now has to work a 40 hour week just to break even - And now a number of other drivers have stepped forward to back him. Drivers told the Teeside Live that the stress of the job is making many of them unwell. Long working hours accompanied by abusive passengers and even some who refuse to pay and run off has led to a call of action to help improve working conditions. One driver said that he now has to work 70 hours a week which spans across a seven day period. He said that it costs him £370 a week just to keep his vehicle on the road, but with two little kids to look after and a house to run, he said he just has to get on with things. Another man, an ex private hire driver, said that it turned into a dreadful job and even got to the point where the firm he worked for told him to pick up “flagdowns” which is against the law - Only hackney carriage licensed drivers are allowed to pick up flagging passengers. He went on to say that some days he would clear as little as £10 after expenses a shift and there was no minimum wage protection because the firms would simply say they were self employed drivers. Many drivers feel that the industry is now flooded with too many drivers all desperate for enough work to earn a living. The taxi and private hire industry seems to currently be suffering from a major case of over supply of services.

February 03, 2019 at 05:51PM http://bit.ly/2UVulRY Michael Murphy THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Taxi driver tackles man attempting to run away from horror crash

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An heroic taxi driver sprang into action when a motorist apparently tried to flee the scene of a horror crash.The incident which was caught on camera by a witness shows the moment Naveed Hussain tackled the man to the ground and made a citizen's arrest after the smash in Netherton on Thursday January 31. It has been claimed that the man attempted to make a getaway after the car he was driving flipped on its roof after hitting the taxi along with another vehicle.

Taxi driver Mr Hussain restrained the struggling driver by pinning him to the ground as a crowd of bystanders watched on.Mr Hussain, told the Birmingham Live: "I knew I had to do something. He ran towards Church Street, so I followed him."

The hero taxi driver managed to chase down the man, who jumped fences in an attempt to escape, and contained him until the emergency services arrived.

It has been confirmed by West Midlands Ambulance services that one person was taken to hospital for injuries caused by the collision and West Midlands Police confirmed that a man was arrested on suspicion of driving while under the influence of alcohol and drugs.

February 03, 2019 at 02:57PM http://bit.ly/2UVulRY THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Is the Mayor blowing hot air up the backside of London's taxi industry?

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It is hard to find a more "put-upon" industry than the licensed London taxi industry. From the moment that the much lauded Knowledge of London is completed, every taxi driver becomes a self-employed entity.

This is all fine and dandy until you realise that these self-employed entity's are only self-employed in the loosest sense of the term.

You are then bound by the conditions of fitness which are set by the regulator, again all fine and dandy, until you realise that the regulator is continually shifting the goalposts in one form or another, making it increasingly more difficult to function in the industry for which you have qualified for.

There is no point dwelling on the past and regurgitating all of the changes in regulation that have blighted the industry over the past fifteen or so years, it serves no purpose and bears no relevance to the here and now.

As the taxi industry stands at the moment it has no choice of alternative vehicle, there is only one single taxi which is on sale to London's cabbies, a good vehicle, yes, but eye-wateringly expensive. There is a dirth of infrastructure pertaining to the charging of electric taxis, with no apparent enforcement when the meagre volume of existing charging points are parked on by drivers who aren't charging their vehicle. Then there is the bizarre situation where there are only a handful of credit card facilities allowed to be used in the rear of the vehicle, whilst the use of a secondary hand held system prohibited by TfL for no apparent reason, thus negating a driver to be able to opt for the best deal, and forcing those who rent to sign up to multiple providers, just in case they have to take an alternate vehicle from a garage. A situation considered all the more bizarre given that there could, in theory at least, be a conflict in law surrounding the issue.

Now we come to the ability for the taxi industry to navigate London's streets. It is quite clear to even the most vehement anti-car proponent that congestion has become significantly worse in the Metropolis, primarily because of the contrived way that London's road network is being managed. There are of course other factors involved such as the massive over-subscription of private hire vehicles, the number of which have doubled in the last six years, and of course who could possibly ignore the excessively wide, and in sone cases, badly thought put cycle-superhighways.

These problems are now dwarfed by a much more apparent and sinister problem, the Mayors Transport Strategy (MTS).

The taxi industry is barely an afterthought within this particular document, and despite the Mayors claims that the London taxi industry is an integral part of the public transport network, with him claiming to be the Mayor that will oversee the renaissance of the taxi industry, it is in part, because of this document which local authorities have a compulsion to follow, giving said local authorities "carte-blanche" to exclude taxis from any given thoroughfare.

It has now become apparent that local authorities could be using the MTS, along with GLA pollution figures as a trojan horse to force through by-laws, preventing taxis from accessing certain roads. There is however a major problem with the GLA pollution figures... They are merely estimates, which when put under close scrutiny, make no sense.

On January 17, UKIP London Assembly Member, David Kurten asked the Mayor the following question:

"In a press release on 19th December 2018, TfL stated that ‘taxis are currently responsible for 20% of harmful NOx emissions and by 2020 they will be the biggest source of transport pollution in CENTRAL LONDON.’ What is their source for this statement, and how did they calculate this figure?"

The Mayor responded by saying: “As outlined in the answer to Mayor's Question 2019/0219, the relative contribution to total road transport emissions of each vehicle type is estimated using information on the composition of the vehicle fleet, the annual distances covered, emissions factors for that class of vehicle and information on the road links on the London network. The results of this work are published in the outputs from the London Atmospheric Emissions Inventory.

“The contribution to total NOx emissions from taxis in Central London by 2020 is estimated at around 30 per cent, making them the largest single contributor to NOx concentrations in that area."

The non-sensicle part arises from the fact that if the taxi industry, standing at around 23,700 strong, and decreasing, is emitting 20% of NOx emissions as of December 2018, and bearing in mind that at that point there was over 1,000 zero emission capable taxis on the road, how on earth will it be possible for NOx emissions to RISE to 30% by 2020 ?

Given that some older diesel vehicles will have reached the end of their lifespan, there are no diesel taxis being produced, meaning the uptake of zero emissions taxis MUST increase by default, this clearly means that there is a major problem with the Mayors figurework.

David Kurten then took to Twitter saying:

"Sadiq Khan admits that figures saying that taxis produce 20% of NOx in Central London today, and will produce 30% of NOx by 2020 are ESTIMATES :- i.e figures not based on any measurements, but plucked put of thin air."

So here we are, congestion increasing, pollution increasing, travel time increasing, travel costs increasing, working costs increasing, road space decreasing, numbers plucked from thin air, with the GLA playing a major role in all of the above... and then we have an industry that seems to be on the receiving end of what could only be described as an engineered extinction via stealth, unless of course the Mayor wakes from his slumber and makes meaningful ammendments to the MTS and shows that there is iron in his words and proves that the London taxi industry truly is an integral part of the public transport network.

February 03, 2019 at 07:06AM http://bit.ly/2UVulRY Steve Kenton THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Drunk passenger pulled at the handbrake of a cab before dragging out and punching the driver is to be jailed

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A drunk passenger pulled at the handbrake of a taxi before dragging out and punching the driver, a court heard.The passenger Benjamin Taylor, 28, was found guilty and jailed following the trial. Taylor, who was said to be 'incredibly drunk' at the time of the attack, had been out drinking in the Northern Quarter of Manchester city centre. The taxi driver picked him up outside the Millstone pub in Thomas Street who sat in the back of the vehicle asking to be taken to Newton Heath on 17th August 2017.Suddenly during the journey Taylor grabbed the handbrake and punched the driver in the back of his head and shoulder.The cab came to a stop at the entrance of a factory where Taylor then got out and dragged the driver out of his seat punching him.The passenger then told the driver to give him the keys to the vehicle. A passing police car at the time pulled over after being alerted by the cabbie shouting for help. Officers described Taylor as being 'incredibly drunk' and was detained. The drunk passenger told court that the cabbie had allegedly asked for more money to be paid after agreeing to pay for the fare up front. He then claimed that the driver got out of the cab shouting. He said he couldn't remember what happened next and denied trying to rob the taxi driver of his keys.The prosecutor Hayley Bennett read out a statement from the driver saying: "This incident has made me more nervous when working at night."It has made me more worried at collecting fares from the city centre, but I have to do this to make a living."The 28-year-old was convicted by a jury of attempted robbery. Taylor, also had previous convictions for being drunk in public, racially aggravated harassment and assault. The court was told that he drinks 'three bottles of spirits over a weekend on average', of which may be an 'understatement'.Upon sentencing, Judge David Hernandez told Taylor: "Without drink you are probably a very pleasant individual."But when in drink your personality changes and you become aggressive and act impulsively."The taxi driver was clearly very distressed by what happened. He was going about his lawful business."He was vulnerable, and you took advantage of that."Lone taxi drivers working at night have to be protected. There must be an immediate custodial sentence."

February 03, 2019 at 12:38PM http://bit.ly/2UVulRY THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Uber to increase prices in New York after being hit by new legislation

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Uber are to hike their prices in New York after new legislation forcing them to pay drivers a set minimum wage was approved by New York's Taxi and Limousine Commission. Lyft and Juno may also follow suit.

The minimum wage is to be set at $27.86 per hour before deductions. Drivers are expected to receive around $17.22 per hour after expenses, which according to Vox is a $5 upweight in a ride-hailing app drivers income.

However, it's not all good news for drivers as both Lyft and Juno have filed a lawsuit against New York City in state court on Wednesday, January 30, in an attempt to block the law from going into effect.

It has been claimed that the reason for the lawsuit is because the new legislation unfairly benefits Uber.

The attempted block is aimed at how the law is being implemented rather than the law itself.

The opposition to the new legislation pertains to the formula being used to determine how drivers are paid.

Drivers won’t be paid a set hourly rate, they will instead be paid via a per-minute and per-mile calculation.

However, this has raised a major issue for Lyft and Juno because Uber has a larger share of drivers. As a result of this they claim that they can’t pffer drivers the same work level as Uber can.

As a result of the lawsuit, Lyft and Juno drivers won’t be getting the mandated raises until the issues have been resolved.

Uber, who are not challenging the law will be pushing the additional costs on to passengers, although it is unclear as to how much of an increase may be passed on to the consumer.

February 02, 2019 at 05:40PM http://bit.ly/2UVulRY Steve Kenton THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Uber team up with Adidas to develop onboard customer fitness guide

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Are passengers REALLY going to do this?!

Ride-hailing firm Uber have teamed up with Adidas to develop a fitness guide for customers to complete whilst onboard.

An Uber spokesperson said: “At Uber, we are always looking for new ways to help you enjoy the ride. That is why we’ve teamed up with adidas to develop the Uber Fitness Guide.

“Designed to maximize riding time and ensure that your minutes in an Uber are well spent, we collaborated with fitness instructor Megan Roup to create quick and effective moves that anyone can do safely in the backseat.”

Uber claim that “These small isometric movements sculpt and tone, and are easy to do with your seatbelt fastened. So whether you are on your way to the airport, expending nervous energy en route to a meeting, or heading home from brunch with friends, you can make the most of your ride.”

February 02, 2019 at 02:33PM http://bit.ly/2UVulRY Perry Richardson THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

As the London taxi industry demos intensify, Uber and Cabify suspend operations in Barcelona on the back of protests

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As the demonstrations surrounding the proposed taxi exclusion from Tottenham Court Road intensify, it's been revealed via social media that the protests will be shifting away from that area from the week beginning February 4.

According to the Independent Taxi Alliance (ITA) twitter feed there will not be a protest on Monday February 4, protests will resume at an alternative location on February 6.

There may be some positive news on the horizon as it has emerged that TfL may be willing to discuss the situation, but we are awaiting confirmation of this.

Meanwhile, Uber and Cabify are to suspend operations in Barcelona following the Catalan Governments ruling that ride-hailing services could only pick up passengers after a 15-minute delay from the time of booking.

Reuters have reported that the Catalan Governments ruling followed mass protests by taxi drivers in Barcelona who complained that the services did not operate on a fair playing field.

Uber and Cabify announcing the suspension of its services in Barcelona falls just before the city hosts the annual Mobile World Congress.

Uber have stated that the restrictions have left them with no choice but to suspend UberX, whilst Cabify have stated that it was disappointed that the city had capitulated to the demands of the taxi industry. Whilst Barcelona have adopted new legislation, the taxi protests in Madrid rumble on, with no resolution in sight between the taxi industry and Madrid authorities.

February 02, 2019 at 01:32PM http://bit.ly/2UVulRY Steve Kenton THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Air pollution - a crisis created by politicians

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“The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed (and hence clamorous to be led to safety) by menacing it with an endless series of hobgoblins, all of them imaginary.” H L Mencken Imaginary might be a little harsh, but exaggerated certainly isn’t. The latest hobgoblin is the air quality ‘crisis’, which is being used to justify more taxes on some drivers in the guise of clean air zones (CAZ) such as the ULEZ scheme in London. If the much-delayed carbon dioxide hobgoblin doesn’t get us, which we were previously using diesel to help slay, then NOx and particulates (dust) certainly will, according to the likes of London mayor Sadiq Kahn. In fact, London is where the hobgoblin meets the ‘zombie’ statistic in the form of the mayor’s false 40,000 air pollution deaths claim, which has been shot down by the likes of respiratory physiologist Professor Tony Frew, a former member of the Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollution (COMEAP).

This Frankenstein’s monster of statistical constructs doesn’t refer to real people, but is derived from the estimated 340,000 life years lost by everyone in the UK as a result of an average ‘early death’ of around three days due to air pollution, all things being equal, which in reality they are not. In fact, there are a number of factors that can influence life expectancy in positive or negative ways. These include the likes of genetics, wealth, lifestyle, diet, environment, medical advances, etc. It’s clear from the increased life expectancy from birth that we enjoy as a developed nation driven by carbon fuels that the balance of all factors is strongly positive in favour of increased longevity. Professor Frew also points out that just because pollution levels have been made illegal doesn’t mean that they are dangerous. There’s a lack of publicity for the latest report from COMEAP where experts can’t agree on any link between NOx and mortality, and the latest Office for National Statistics data shows that the North-South divide for life expectancy is clearly wealth-related rather than related to air quality. Dates of birth and death are ‘hard’ data compared to junk epidemiological guesswork. Making people richer, rather than poorer with unjustified taxes, is the best way to make their lives longer and happier. As for asthma, it was identified by the ancient civilisations of Egypt, Greece and China BC – Before Cars. There are many potential attack triggers for people who are genetically predisposed to asthma and it’s a well-known fact that indoor air quality, where we spend 90 per cent of our time, can be many times worse than outdoors. Also, individuals with compromised respiratory systems are susceptible to spikes in poor air quality due to very specific combinations of weather conditions. To mayor Khan’s credit, he has recognised the stupidity of wood-burning stoves, which can emit 18 times as much pollution as a modern diesel car and six times as much as a diesel truck. But there is no sign yet of any wood tax or recognition of the impact of the ‘prettiest pollutant’ known as fireworks. It’s ironic that London bus shelters carry posters side-by-side advertising the ultra-low emission zone (ULEZ) and firework displays. If there really was an air pollution emergency or crisis, wood-burning stoves and fireworks would be top of the banned list. Regressive taxes, which is what CAZ charges are, target the less well-off who can’t afford new or newer vehicles. CAZ policies also fail to pass any cost-benefit analysis. Close to home for me personally, but not affecting my Euro 6 car, the planned Birmingham CAZ is projected to provide purely theoretical health and environmental benefits of £38m over ten years against a negative overall cost of £122m. This makes Birmingham’s EU-threatened fine of £60m for failing to tackle levels of air pollution declared illegal (by an EU we were supposed to be leaving) look like a bargain. Additionally, areas outside the Birmingham CAZ are likely to lose thousands of free parking spaces and the 6,000 free parking spaces within the zone could also face charges or restrictions. UK vehicle emissions have declined significantly over the past 40 years against a background of increased vehicle usage. The fact that urban pollution ‘hot spots’ remain can to a large extent be blamed on deliberate congestion-causing policies, which have been designed to obstruct and slow traffic. Banning all transport in London, for example, would only reduce particulate levels from the current average 14 micrograms per cubic metre to 12, the worldwide background level being 7 micrograms per cubic metre. The potential air quality benefits of a ULEZ or CAZ will therefore be insignificant. We should instead be pleased with the significant improvements in air quality that have been achieved thanks to advances in vehicle technology and look forward to continued improvement from reduced vehicle emissions driven by technology. Our tax- and restrictions-obsessed politicians should recognise the longer, happier lives that people in the UK are enjoying largely due to the economic benefits of carbon fuels. But we won’t be holding our breath waiting for that to happen!

The following article is by Paul Biggs, ABD Director and Environment Spokesperson. It first appeared in Local Transport Today, the magazine for local road traffic engineers. Paul Biggs is environment spokesman for the Alliance of British Drivers. He is a biological sciences graduate and retired cancer researcher.

February 02, 2019 at 10:29AM http://bit.ly/2UVulRY Alliance of British Drivers THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

LEVC expect 2019 to be a challenging year for the UK automotive sector

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Earlier this week, electric taxi manufacturer LEVC announced that they would be reducing the number of temporary agency staff currently employed at its factory in Coventry.The decision to reduce staff was largely due to the likelihood of 2019 being a challenging year for the UK automotive sector and the need to match staff levels with its expected production volumes.An LEVC spokesperson offered TaxiPoint an update on it’s discussions with the agency staff affected saying: “Given our desire to treat the affected individuals fairly, we have sought to brief those directly impacted first. We have sought act with pace, care and transparency to ensure that uncertainty for affected staff is kept to a minimum. Following our initial communication earlier this week, this afternoon temporary staff have now been given their notice and release dates will be agreed with those affected next week.“Our agency staff recruiter has already started reaching out to their other clients to see what other roles might be available for those leaving the business, and we will support those affected through this process. Where appropriate we are also encouraging agency staff to apply for non-production vacancies at LEVC.“These associates have all played an important role in helping LEVC build our new factory and our new vehicles over the past few years and we are extremely thankful for their efforts.”

February 01, 2019 at 09:06PM http://bit.ly/2UVulRY Perry Richardson THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

No-one likes getting into a cold cab; How to warm your LEVC TX

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In an electric vehicle, the cabin temperature is maintained electrically using energy from the drive battery. When charging your TX, whether overnight at home or on-street, you can set a ‘Parking Climate’ timer to pre- warm or pre-cool the cabin using the mains electricity. This feature automatically activates the climate control system to restore the last set temperature and fan speed. This means energy isn’t taken from the battery to do the same job after you’ve driven away, helping to preserve your electric range...plus, you get to climb into a cab that’s just the way you like it.How to set Parking Climate Open the heating and ventilation display on the touchscreen by pressing the fan icon at the bottom of the screen. Swipe the screen from left to right, or select ‘Parking Climate’ at the top of the screen

Preconditioning

(1) Touch ‘Add timer’ to create a new preconditioning timer

- Set the time and applicable of days of the week. - You can also set a timer for a specific date (2) Touch the timericon to active (or deactivate) the timer/s (3) Check the relevant heated seat box to also switch on the heated seat whenever preconditioning is active. (4) You can change the settings of a timer, or remove unwanted timers by touching ‘Edit list’. (5) You can also touch the ‘Preconditioning’ button to manually activate the feature. This restores the previously set cabin temperature without turning on the ignition. It is possiblet to lock the vehicle and leave just the heating active. This is useful when leaving the cab for a short break.

As long as the vehicle is plugged in to a charge point and the ignition is switched off, the preconditioning will activate and warm/cool the cabin, ready for your shiftKeep climate comfort (6) The ‘Keep climate comfort’ button works to maintain the current heating and ventilation settings while the cab is parked and the driver remains in the vehicle. It uses only the fans to distribute residual heat in the system or draw in cool air from outside, so is an effective way of maintaining a comfortable temperature for short periods of time, while consuming very little energy.

- It is deactivated when the ignition is switched back on, the vehicle is locked from the outside, or if the vehicle is plugged into a chargepoint.

February 01, 2019 at 12:18PM http://bit.ly/2UVulRY Perry Richardson THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Digital taxi firms, private sector competition and multi-modal tickets – A vision for taxi transport in London

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Licensing more private providers and consider the potential of digital innovation proposed

The London Night Time Commission has published its report and recommendations on London’s night-time economy.

Included in the recommendations for the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, to implement are the following:

This group would consider the potential of digital innovation and artificial intelligence to improve how people travel at night. Transport, as shown already by the activities of digital taxi firms, is likely to be one of the big areas of urban innovation. By looking ahead, the group can secure the benefits for those active at night.

Furthermore, it should look at how to best increase competition amongst cab and bus operators. This would be enabled by licensing more private providers. The aim is to continue to drive costs down for Londoners who travel at night whilst driving up standards. This group should include private sector operators offering non-public transport solutions at night to ensure it considers market-led solutions.

The group should look to increase availability of night time transport options while reducing cost through a new ‘Night Rider’ ticket. This should be multi-modal and could be enabled by a switch to the transport pricing model common in Germany. There commuters pay a fixed price for a journey regardless of the method of travel.

February 01, 2019 at 08:47AM http://bit.ly/2UVulRY Stephen McCaffrey THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Transport for London licensed Uber driver fined after pleading guilty to benefits fraud

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A Transport for London Uber driver failed to reveal he was a private hire driver when he claimed benefits St Albans Magistrates Court heard. Murat Coker, from Watford, has been ordered to pay £619 for failing to disclose his working status while claiming state benefits. Coker chose not to tell Watford Borough Council that he had a Transport for London private hire licence and had been working on the ride-hailing platform since 2015 and went on to claim £2,355 in benefits. Fraud investigators from the council made checks through the National Fraud Initiative after they discovered Coker had not been honest in his application. Coker was interviewed in May under caution, where he admitted to falsely claiming the £2,355 worth of benefits. He pleaded guilty to one charge under the Fraud Act 2006.

He was issued a financial penalty of £335, as well as costs of £284 for prosecution and victim surcharge.

As reported by the Watford Observer, arrangements are being made to pay the benefits back. Peter Taylor, Elected Mayor of Watford, said: “Our consistent success in prosecuting benefit fraud sends a clear message that it will not be tolerated. It is a great example of how we ensure money is not taken illegally out of the public purse.”

February 01, 2019 at 07:08AM http://bit.ly/2UVulRY Michael Murphy THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

London taxi and private hire firms urged to help cut idling pollution on the road

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Deliveroo first to back council pledge to cut engine idling

Deliveroo, a company that works with thousands of riders in the capital, has agreed to support #DontBeIdle to urge drivers not to idle their engines at the side of the road.

This comes as the council has written to more than 20 business leaders from some of London’s top freight, delivery, coach, taxi and private hire companies this week, asking for support given delivery drivers and commercial vehicles make up a large proportion of idling drivers. Research shows that an average vehicle idling produces enough exhaust emissions containing harmful chemicals every minute to fill 150 balloons, and vehicles such as buses, taxis, vans, cars and delivery vehicles account for more than half of the deadliest emissions in the air. The impact if poor air quality on the health can be significant, especially for children with pollution linked to 40,000 deaths nationally each year. Westminster City Council Leader Nickie Aiken said: “We have to get the message out there, turning off your engine can save lives. So having the support of Deliveroo is fantastic, as with their support we can spread the message further and help cut pollution in our city. “Our #DontBeIdle campaign is really sparking the imagination of people in the city and I’d urge other businesses to get involved. Poor air quality is our residents’ number one concern and so we’re leading the way to tackle this issue.” In just over a year more than 10,000 people have signed a pledge not to engine idle and to spread the message. The council’s team of dedicated air marshals have had more than 20,000 conversations with people in the city convincing them to switch off their engines when stationary at the side of the road. The team has also held engagement days, visited schools, spoken to parents and even gained the support of celebrities. The focus of the campaign in now on those most likely to idle – professional drivers – supporting them to switch off their engines while waiting at the side of the road in a bid to further help cut pollution in London. The council is also offering advice and guidance to businesses who pledge their support. Dan Warne, UK Managing Director of Deliveroo, said: “Deliveroo is delighted to support this campaign, working with our riders to make small changes that together result in big improvements for all residents. “Deliveroo riders are on the capital’s roads delivering amazing meals every single day and will be some of the biggest beneficiaries from improving air quality across London. This is a great initiative from Westminster City Council and we look forward to supporting initiatives like this across the city.”

January 31, 2019 at 07:35PM http://bit.ly/2UVulRY Perry Richardson THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Proposed £28m revamp of The Strand could signal the end of The Aldwych gyratory system

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A proposed £28m revamp of a section of The Strand could see the end of The Aldwych gyratory system.

The ambitious plans, which are backed by Westminster City Council, would see the 200 meter section of The Strand to the south of Aldwych paved over and given over to pedestrian traffic, whilst The Aldwych itself becomes a two-way traffic system, ending the chaos which has blighted The Strand on the approach to Waterloo Bridge, which is regularly brought to a standstill by the sheer volume of buses, as well as other road users.

The are hosts a plethora of high profile venues and buildings, such as Somerset House, Kings College, and a number of hotels and theatres.

Among the proposed revamp, a new plaza will surround St Mary Le Strand (The RAF) Church, as well as Improved connections to The South Bank, Covent Garden and the West End.

The proposals could also see an improvement in air quality, as well as an improvement in facilities for both walking and cycling.

Westminster City Council are now looking to hear the views and opinions of businesses and organisations as well as the general public on these draft design ideas. The Strand and Aldwych Consultation will run from 30 January 2019 to 13 March 2019.

Cllr Richard Beddoe, Cabinet Member for Planning and Place Shaping, said: “This historic gateway into the West End is home to some of the capital’s most famous cultural and academic institutions, as well as a major leisure destination in its own right with landmark theatres, hotels and other attractions. “But the future success of the area is at risk because of traffic, poor air quality and inadequate public spaces. So working with local organisations we’ve developed some fresh ideas for the Strand Aldwych. These concept designs have come together following a great deal of discussion with local groups and we now want to get as much feedback as possible. “Nothing is set in stone at this stage and we look forward to having constructive discussions as to how we can deliver a world-class scheme that benefits Westminster and London for many years to come.”

January 31, 2019 at 01:43PM http://bit.ly/2UVulRY Steve Kenton THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

New 15 minute advanced booking rule forces Uber and Cabify to suspend services in Barcelona

via taxi-point http://bit.ly/2MJIVbs

It has been announced today in The Guardian, that ride-hailing app’s Uber and Cabify are to suspend operations following new rules requiring vehicles to be booked at least 15 minutes in advance. Both firms will suspend their services from Friday February 1. The new regulations were put in place by the government after immense pressure was brought on by taxi drivers who demanded tighter rules be put in place on VTC’S (private vehicles with driver). An Uber spokesperson said that the new regulations leave the controversial ride-hailing firm no choice but to suspend UberX while they asses their future in Barcelona. Following suite, soon after, a spokesperson for Cabify accused the Catalan government of “caving into pressure and demands of the taxi industry.” Cabify said that almost 100% of it’s trips were booked with less than 15 minutes notice so the new regulations sole objective seems to lead to a direct expulsion of their business model. According to VTC, an association of transport companies, the new regulations could lead to 3,000 drivers losing their jobs. A spokesperson for VTC said that the regional government in Catalonia are “yielding to the blackmail of the taxi drivers, who are again kidnapping the city of Barcelona and using violence to shield their monopoly.”

January 31, 2019 at 01:30PM http://bit.ly/2UVulRY Michael Murphy THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT