Go-Ahead enters ridesharing market with UK’s most ambitious on-demand bus service

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The Go-Ahead Group is to launch the UK’s most ambitious demand-responsive bus service, allowing passengers to summon a bus to pick them up on a street corner of their choice.From 25 June, workers, residents and students in a 12-square mile area around Oxford will be able to request a bus pick-up within minutes at a “virtual bus stop” at their convenience using a new mobile app.The PickMeUp service, which is being piloted by the Oxford Bus Company on behalf of the Go-Ahead Group, aims to meet the changing needs of people in parts of the city where passenger numbers increase sharply at certain times of day, making it more difficult to manage through scheduled services.The new concept will be operated using 17-seat minibuses with free WiFi, USB charging points, wheelchair access and comfortable high-back seating. Front-end and back-end technology for the service has been developed in partnership with Via, a US leader in ride-sharing technology with its own operations in New York City, Chicago and Washington DC.Employers in the Eastern Arc around Oxford are to be offered tailored subscription packages providing discounted or free travel for their staff, creating a quick, easy and convenient alternative to commuting by car.Experts estimate that the UK’s ride-sharing market will be worth £2.6bn by 2022. International projections suggest that car ownership could drop by as much as 80% by 2030, with passengers migrating towards alternative models of transport.PickMeUp builds on recent transport innovations by Go-Ahead, which is the largest operator of electric buses in Europe, and is the operator of UK’s only all-electric bus garage in central London.In February, the company invested in a Frankfurt-based all-electric car sharing business Mobileeee, and Go-Ahead is set to pilot the UK’s first bus ticket system using iBeacons in the North East later this year.Commenting on the new service, Go-Ahead Group Chief Executive David Brown said: “We’ve listened closely to what the local community has been asking for in Oxford. Passengers are keen for a quick, easy and flexible way to get to work or to college.“PickMeUp is intended to be a partnership model with local businesses – we want to help them get their staff to work in a quick, simple, convenient and cost-effective way.“On a broader level, we firmly believe that ride-sharing is part of the solution to congestion and pollution in our towns and cities. It’s essential that we provide services that will tempt people out of their cars and technology will be key to that challenge.”

June 19, 2018 at 01:41PM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Summer Gran Canaria getaway from £264pp - 7nts 3* hotel & flights

Pirates, summer is upon us and if you fancy heading to the Canary Islands this July, then you have come to the right place. This holiday in Gran Canaria is under £270 per person - a great price for this peak time of year. Holiday details Travel duration: 7 nights (longer or shorter stays possible)… Lola POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Use it or lose it: Dozens of Glasgow minicab drivers licenses suspended for NOT living or working there

Dozens of Glasgow Private Hire drivers have their licences suspended for not living there

Licensing bosses swung the axe on a list of cabbies whose registered addresses are outside of the city.

For 19 of the drivers, their time on the road was effectively ended as the suspensions go up to their licence expiry dates.

Manchester, London, Rotherham and Bolton were all listed as addresses, with many of the cabbies having never used their permit.

Ibniamin Khan, was the only one who was given a two-week penalty after he failed to use his private hire car for seven months when he was living in Yorkshire and Germany.

Alex Wilson, chair of the licensing committee told him: “We gave you a licence in 2017 and you’ve not used it.

“If you had read the terms and conditions of the licence you would know that you should have surrendered your licence.

“You are supposed to do that if you’ve not used it within any three-month period.

“You should never have applied for a licence if you had no intention of using it.”

But Mr Khan said: “I haven’t used my licence because I was looking for a car.

“My brother was then involved in a crash and I moved over to Germany to be with him for several months.

“I have now got a car and have moved to Glasgow. I moved here because I want to work here.”

All of those whose licences were suspended were called to appear in front of the committee.

The drivers who had their permits suspended until the end of their licence expiry will have to wait to apply for a new licence if they want to operate in Glasgow.

Source : EveningTimes.co.uk

TAXI LEAKS EXTRA BIT :

Well done to the licence regulators in Glasgow, who have realised what’s been  happening with their registered private hire drivers, and stepped in to take action to stop this practise. 

The minicab drivers will now have to wait until their current PH licence expires before they can reapply ((if they wish to work again but only in Glasgow) 

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20% off Isle of Wight ferry crossings - from £10 each way *includes festival dates*

Whether you're looking to party at the Isle of Wight festival this weekend or just want to escape for a staycation, grab a hold of this deal while it lasts mateys. Get 20% off Southampton - Isle of Wight ferry crossings this summer. Whether you're travelling by foot or by car you can take full… GemUK POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Glamorous Vegas: 7nt Sin City break from just £432pp - incl. 4* hotel & flights

Fancy a flutter pirates? You won't need to hit the jackpot with this Las Vegas deal we spotted at Expedia! You'll be spending 7 nights at SLS Las Vegas, a 4* property just off the main strip. Flights are included. The cheapest time to go is November. Vegas cools off a little bit later in… Samcana POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Shopkeepers on wheels

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It hasn’t been easy for any of us over the last few years. Potential customers are still there, but they are spread across a range of competing transport providers. They always were, of course, but we’re so heavily outnumbered by private hire that it feels like we are losing ground. We just need to try to tempt a bigger chunk of custom over to our side. This is easier said than done, I know.

Private hire isn’t having it all its own way though. The biggest threat to traditional minicab companies is Uber. The taxi trade is also threatened by Uber, but to a lesser extent. The strange thing is that Uber’s own future is uncertain. While it’s been crawling to TfL in an effort to get its licence back, it has been denied new licences in York and Brighton, and it has been made unwelcome in various other cities around the world. London is the accepted transport honey pot though, the big prize. Regulations are slack on the private hire side, but taxi licensing requirements in London are still incredibly stringent, making the licence the hardest to get in the world – as we all know.

Provincial licensing authorities look to London to see how TfL reacts to Uber. Emboldened by TfL’s refusal to re-licence Uber, other cities now have the confidence to do what is right and stop this menace in its tracks. It’s scandalous that Uber is still allowed to operate despite having been declared unfit in the city – though it may to stop if it loses its appeal against TfL’s decison later this month. Not only that, but it still has the appeal against the employment tribunal ruling that its drivers were workers and should have rights as such, and are not self-employed.

Even if Uber is relicensed, either in London or elsewhere, it could have to make changes to its business model which could see it become unsustainable.

Workers in any industry assume the customers will always be there, but sometimes they’re not. Look at retail: Woolworths, BHS, and C&A disappeared from British high streets years ago, and other long-established retailers are struggling. At the time of writing, Mothercare and Marks and Spencer are both in trouble for failing to modernise and acknowledge a shift in shopping habits.

About 25 years ago, when I was a young butter boy, I remember reading an article by Monty Schiman, which I believe was entitled Shopkeepers on Wheels. Yes, we need to think like shopkeepers, the better ones. Customers need to be valued and respected at all times. We need to give the people what they want, and we must move with the times. We need to provide a first class service at all times.

Some retailers get complacent and suddenly find themselves out of date and heading for the scrap heap. Marks & Spencer is still hanging on, but it recently announced store closures because people have switched to shopping online. M&S has often been criticised for being old- fashioned. Even as a 20 year old shopping in Romford, M&S held no interest for me. As I got older I’d shop there now and again, but it never became an exciting place to spend my valuable time. M&S was never a young person’s shop. Maybe we’re not a young person’s transport service with all that waving your hand in the air? There’s no longer any need to visit the high street to shop, nor to hail a cab. As customers desert the high street, even those hardy souls who still venture into the outside world, order transport on-line in the same way. Thankfully, the trade does have computerised booking apps. They aren’t as well-known as Uber, but with Uber weakened, they might help us regain custom.

If, despite our best efforts the terms “taxi” and “private hire” are being blurred in London, they are even more so in the provinces. I recently saw what we are up against. Following a boozy wedding in rural Oxfordshire, my wife and I needed to get to our guest house in South Oxford. With no cab ranks around, our hosts asked the barmaid to order us a taxi. What arrived was a minicab. Never mind, like most boozed-up members of the cab- riding public, we just wanted to get home. I have to say, the experience was faultless.

In a hurry to get off on the following, the missus asked a passing chef to help book us a taxi. It was a small guest house, but they had some kind of booking app on

their wall. It looked a sophisticated piece of equipment, and not one I’d expect to see in a £75 guest house on Iffley Road. He pressed the button a few times and we were told a blue Toyota would be with us in three minutes.

We need to get our thinking caps on and think about how taxis are hailed generally. There are many towns and cities around the world where waving your hand is unusual. Maybe it’s just a London and New York thing? I’ve never waved a cab down in Leighton Buzzard where I live, and it was considered unusual in Northampton where I previously lived. It was all ranks and phones.

Is the solution to install booking apps on walls? Maybe. The PH one in Oxford wasn’t Uber, it was a smaller private hire firm. I’m sure if modest private hire companies have the power, then we should have the ability to fix booking apps on to London hotel walls.

June 19, 2018 at 10:03AM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI Chris Ackrill - LTDA THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Rhodes group getaway in July from £129pp - 7nts 3* hotel, flights, luggage & transfers

Ahoy pirates, you will need be quick to grab this real bargain holiday we have come across on our package holiday finder under £130 per person. The holiday in Rhodes is based on 4 sharing so grab your squad, get booking and you'll be off to Greece this July. Holiday details Travel duration: 7 nights… Lola POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Stylish Algarve group holiday 7nts from £269pp - incl. flights & villa

Ahoy mateys! Algarve is up next! We've laid eyes on the gorgeous 4* The Crest villa resort in Amancil with a selection of luxuriously appointed villas round an inviting pool. We opted for the stylish 2 bedroomed Villa, complete with fully equipped kitchen, terrace, 2 bathrooms with shower and much more. (Or, you could opt… Cee POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Untrodden Croatia: 4* half board holiday 7nts from £280pp - incl. flights & hotel

Ahoy mateys! The small quaint town of Orebic is situated about 2 hours drive from Dubrovnik airport, tucked away on the so called Peljesac Peninsula a slightly lesser known part of Croatia. Here you will find many of of the region's wineries, coupled with excellent seafood offerings and great pebble beaches. We found this… Cee POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

UK cities to unite with call to ban new petrol and diesel vehicles by 2030

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The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, will this week unite city leaders from England and Wales to call on the government to ban the sale of new pure diesel and petrol cars and vans by 2030.The cross-party leaders, representing around 20m people from towns and cities in England and Wales, will urge the government to bring forward current plans to phase out the vehicles from 2040 to 2030 to tackle the nation’s growing air quality health crisis.Currently poor air quality is estimated to contribute to more than 40,000 premature deaths across the country each year, with emissions from cars and vans estimated to cost £6bn annually to the NHS and society.But research has shown that the phasing out of petrol and diesel vehicles would lead to a 30 per cent reduction in pollution in 2030, improving health, and potentially boosting the country’s economy by billions by making the UK a global leader in low-emission technology.The call for action will be discussed on Wednesday at a national air quality summit organised by the Mayor of London, UK100 and IPPR. The summit will see city leaders, Members of Parliament and the Environment Secretary Michael Gove discuss plans to improve the country’s air quality.Together, the city leaders will reiterate their commitment to working together to reduce emissions and tackle pollution for the good of the country. In addition to taking strong action in their own areas, this will include calling for the earlier phasing out of diesel and petrol vehicles, an enhanced Clean Air Fund from government and manufacturers that will support Clean Air Zones, a targeted national vehicle renewal scheme to replace older polluting vehicles, and a Clean Air Act that sets strict air quality limits.The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “Air pollution is not an isolated problem, it’s a national health crisis. Our country’s filthy air is shortening lives, damaging lungs, and severely impacting on the NHS. That’s why we’re bringing together city leaders from across England and Wales to put this at the top of the agenda. We have to take bold action, but while we’re all doing what we can, we need government support to do even more. Banning the sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles by 2030, providing support to deliver Clean Air Zones in cities and introducing a national vehicle renewal scheme will dramatically improve our air quality and our health. Michael Gove has made a good start as Environment Secretary but we need the government to match our ambition and help us urgently drive forward these improvements. We simply cannot afford to delay.”The leaders – including Mayors and city leaders covering Bradford, Bristol, Cardiff, Greater Manchester, Leeds, Leicester, Liverpool, London, Newcastle, Oxford, Sheffield, Southampton and the West Midlands – will say that they want to play their part in an ambitious national plan for clean air that prioritises action to reduce road transport emissions, provides new powers to tackle other sources of pollution and creates a framework to support partnerships between local, regional and national Government and its agencies, including Highways England and businesses.This includes:

A modern Clean Air Act that establishes strong air quality limits standards linked to World Health Organisation recommended guidelines, enforced by a new independent statutory body, with new powers and resources to ensure strong national and local action.

A targeted national vehicle renewal scheme to replace older polluting vehicles that supports drivers and businesses to change to low-emission vehicles and other sustainable forms of transport, taking special care that those on low incomes and also small businesses are helped to make the shift.

An enhanced Clean Air Fund open to all towns and cities in England funded by UK Government and motor-vehicle manufacturers. This would provide investment for cleaner buses, taxis and alternatives to car travel walking, cycling and public transport. The cities make this call at the same time as German prosecutors secure a Euro 1 billion fine from Volkswagen.

As the Government prepares to publish its Road to Zero transport strategy, a call on ministers to commit to phase out sales of new pure diesel and petrol cars and vans by 2030. This would encourage car manufacturers and other businesses to innovate, helping ensure the UK is a world leader in low emission technology. To ensure the roll out of the vital electric vehicle infrastructure needed to support this, cities should have the power to install charge points at petrol stations and private car parks that are publicly accessible.

Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester, said: “We have all been too complacent about the public health crisis of people breathing in illegal, polluted air. It is damaging health and shortening lives, particularly in our poorest communities. Greater Manchester is ready to break out of that and show the ambition needed to clean up our air. But we can’t do it alone. We need to see the same level of ambition from the Government in the form of substantial, up-front investment. With my fellow Mayors, I am calling on the Government to fund a fair diesel scrappage scheme and end the sale of new pure diesel and petrol cars and vans ten years earlier than planned by 2030. We also need to see major investment in the public transport infrastructure of Northern England if people here are to have an alternative to the car. It is only radical action on this scale that will tackle this problem and save lives.”Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands, said: “City leaders of all political stripes are coming together to discuss air quality because this is a public health crisis that needs urgent action. We need to shift away from diesel as a matter of urgency and I will be an ally for decision-makers especially those in national government who seek to find a way to support ordinary people getting newer cleaner cars to replace their dirty old ones. This is also an industrial opportunity - not least for the West Midlands - where we have built cars trucks and taxis for generations. We need to move to making cleaner vehicles now. It is an essential part of the national industrial strategy.”Steve Rotheram, Metro Mayor for Liverpool City Region, said: “Air pollution is no respecter of boundaries so it is vital that we have concerted action at a national level to effectively tackle an issue which has such an impact on our people’s health and quality of life. In some parts of our city region, men can expect to die seven years earlier than the national average. At the same time it is vital that government gives us the tools to tackle specific issues in our local areas.

June 19, 2018 at 08:53AM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Caribbean Dreaming: 7nt MSC cruise w/full board from £749pp - incl. return flights & Miami hotel

It's time to live like a VIP (Very Important Pirate) and cruise the Caribbean with this outstanding offer from TourCenter! This deal will see you jetting off to glamorous Miami and spending 1 night in a South Beach hotel before embarking on an epic full board cruise to some of the Caribbean's hottest destinations! You'll… Samcana POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Boutique Berlin bargain: 4* design hotel from £33pppn - incl. spa access

When you're heading over to one of Europe's coolest cities, you need a super chic hotel to match. The luxuriously 4* nhow Berlin is just the place, with its trendy riverside location putting you walking distance from the action of Friedrichshain and Kreuzberg. There's an elegant spa on site, as well as a great roof… Samcana POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Winter flights to Vienna from £39 return - incl. Christmas markets dates

We know...we know! It's still summer. But now is a great time to get bargain flights to some of Europe's most popular Christmas market cities, like Vienna from just £39 return from London or Dublin. These direct flights depart on heaps of dates between November and December, perfect for an excuse to go and have… Niamh_UK POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Take the family to Fuerteventura in August: 7nt break from £231pp - incl. aparthotel & flights

Give the whole family a trip this summer with a trip to fabulous Fuerteventura! Our Holiday Finder is offering 7 nights at Villa Florida Apartments, situated just a couple of minutes' walk from the sands of Caleta de Fusta beach. The cheapest options depart in mid-August from Scottish airports, giving our Northern English pirates a… Samcana POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

5* Corfu half board escape 4nts from £289pp - incl. flights & hotel

Ahoy mateys! Corfu is up next: At the 5* Corfu Holiday Palace you'll have a private cableway transporting you straight onto the sandy beach below! The hotels offers both indoor and outdoor pools along with a spa, and 4 restaurants so you can make good use of that half board. Holiday details: Travel duration: 4… Cee POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Mad for it in Manchester: Overnight in boutique 4* hotel from £30pppn

Pirates, if you fancy having it large in Manchester, why not treat yourself to a night at the 4* Abel Heywood Boutique Hotel from only £30pppn? This beautifully designed boutique hotel is in Manchester's buzzing Northern Quarter, so it's a great (and stylish) place to stop over in the city. Offer Details: Many travel durations… jcrdawes POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

This car is on autopilot... what happens next?

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June 18, 2018 at 05:47PM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Google pull Uber's "direct booking" facility from it's Google Maps application

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For an undisclosed reason, Google has officially removed the facility for passengers to book an Uber directly through its "Google Maps" application. Back in January 2017, Uber became the only ride-hailing service that had gained this "direct" feature with Google, leaving other firms such as Lyft and Gett in its shadow, but for a reason not yet explained, Google have demoted Uber back to the same feature as its competitors. Potential passengers will still be able to compare fare costs on Google Maps but they will have to then go through their own hailing app to book a vehicle if they wish to do so.

(Image:Google Maps)

As highlighted in the Verge, Alphabet's venture capital business has made a large investment in Uber's biggest U.S competitor Lyft, which may have something to do with the decision, but then again it may not. Who knows.

June 18, 2018 at 05:35PM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Summer dates: Dublin flights from £19 return (Departing from 10 UK airports)

What could be better than wandering the quaint streets of Dublin in the summertime? Our Flights Finder is offering some spectacular fares to the Irish capital. Best of all, we've seen cheap flights from 10 UK airports - something for everyone! The cheapest options are in June and July, when the days are long and… Samcana POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Direct flights from Dublin to Philadelphia from £269 return: Many 2019 dates

Home of the Philly cheese steak, Liberty Bell and now a Super Bowl title, the city of Philadelphia, USA has a lot going for it! Grab a slice of the action in 2019 with these super cheap flights with Finnair / British Airways / American Airlines. Flying from Dublin, the cheapest direct flights we found… Niamh_UK POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT