Cabbie Dean Richardson makes it eight consecutive professional wins

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London Taxi Driver, Dean Richardson, won his first fight under new trainer Gary Logan on Saturday night, making it his 8th consecutive victory.

Richardson improved his record to 8-0 with 5 knockouts with a shut out 60-54 points victory over Arvydas Trizno from Lithuania. The South Ruislip boxer used his height and reach advantage to good effect using long jabs before landing hard left hands through the guard. Trizno only occasionally fired back with hard hooks but was ineffective as they were defended well by Richardson.

The fight, which was held at Tottenham Green Pools and Leisure Centre, was the first that Richardson and Logan had worked on together. The improvements were evident and the pair plan to continue their success together as Richardson eyes a shot at the Southern Area title in 2019.

October 17, 2018 at 08:23AM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI Perry Richardson THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

App based cabbies in illegal street race

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Two Madrid cabbies have been arrested after taking part in an illegal street race.

It has been reported in Euro Weekly News that the two cabbies who operate on an unnamed app platform, were filmed competing on an industrial estate in the Spanish capital.

A specialist police unit, specifically set up to smash street-racing rings, managed to identify the vehicles and the drivers, despite their registration markings being hidden.

The General Directorate of Traffic (DGT) database was accessed by officers who then visited the app companies headquarters.

The drivers were then identified by the app company and the drivers were subsequently arrested and charged with reckless driving.

October 17, 2018 at 01:07AM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI Steve Kenton THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Uber could be valued at $120 billion

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Its been revealed in The London Free Press that Uber could be valued at $120 billion and the initial IPO could be put forward as early as next year.

Although the valuation has been made by Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley it is not a forgone conclusion that the $120 billion figure will be achieved, or that the private hire giant will go public anytime soon.

Were the IPO to go ahead, Uber could be worth more than Fiat, Ford and General Motors combined.

It has also been revealed that Lyft are looking to JP Morgan and Credit Suisse to issue an IPO valued at $15.1 billion at the beginning of 2019.

October 17, 2018 at 12:24AM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI Steve Kenton THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Cabbie cleared of sexual assault after his accuser admitted lying during conflicting statements

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A cab driver from Paisley who was accused of a sex attack on a female passenger has been cleared after it was proved that the woman had lied to the police.

Norbert Tumwesigye was accused of sexual assault by a woman he had picked up following a festive night out with her family, a report in the Scottish Sun said. The 27-year-old woman claimed that Mr Tumwesigye grabbed her face and kissed her on the mouth and put his tongue in her mouth without consent. During police questioning, the woman said the incident took place in a car park in Thornly Park Gardens, Paisley on January 2. Speaking in court, the alleged victim said that she felt “slightly uncomfortable” the moment she entered the taxi because it was night time and dark and because she was alone. Her police statement said that she chatted to Mr Tumwesigye when she got in the cab, casting doubt on what she said in court about feeling uncomfortable straight away. The woman had also told the police that she had given the driver her full name and that she had drunk at least four glasses of wine before she had entered the vehicle, yet giving evidence in court she said she had only drunk one glass of wine. When challenged about her different evidence statements, the woman admitted giving two different versions but called it “an honest mistake”. The mother of the woman gave evidence in court, saying that she received a phone call from her daughter who was distraught and “crying down the phone.” The court heard that she rushed to her daughter’s aid when she was told that she had been sexually assaulted. Giving evidence in his own defence, Mr Tumwesigye said he helped his accuser into his cab and also out of the vehicle because she was struggling to walk. He told the court that she tried to kiss him as he helped her out but he pulled away because he’s a married man. Tumwesigye said: “She didn’t want to leave the car, she was chatting, chatting. I wanted to get her out the car” This is when she allegedly tried to kiss him. Tumwesigye, 37, had always denied the claims and was found not guilty by Sheriff Frances McCartney at Paisley Sheriff Court. McCartney said that she didn’t believe his accuser. A spokesperson for East Renfrewshire Council, where Mr Tumwesigye held his licence, said he could now apply to get his licence back.

October 16, 2018 at 10:07PM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI Michael Murphy THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Government hate crime action plan requires taxis to report any crimes seen or heard

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The Government’s latest action plan on tackling hate crime includes plans for taxi and private hire drivers to report incidents of hate crime.

The plan, Action Against Hate, includes proposals to make “…taxi and private hire vehicle drivers identify and report hate crime in the night-time economy.” The Home Office said that it will do this by including advice “…in the Department for Transport’s best practice guidance on Taxi and Private Hire Vehicle licensing.” The DfT’s best practice guidance is due to be updated and republished in 2019 and the Government will encourage all 293 licensing authorities in England to adopt the guidance, including the “advice” that taxi and private hire vehicle drivers who witness cases of hate crime report it. The hate crime action plan does not make it clear whether there will be a statutory requirement on taxi and private hire vehicle drivers to report hate crime but it will be important for the trade to use the opportunity to comment on the revised best practice guidance – if there is an opportunity to do so.

October 16, 2018 at 09:30PM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI Stephen McCaffrey THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Gridlock across London as Camden Council closes access to vehicles at key Bloomsbury junction

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Changes to a key artery on London’s road network has caused gridlock across the capital and local area.

Camden Council have closed vehicle access around Bloomsbury Square and taken away the heavily used left-turn from Vernon Place on to Southampton Row.

According to frustrated cabbies the travelling public heading from

the west of the capital to iconic places of interest such as The British Museum will no longer be able to reach their destination logically.

Traffic will now be dirverted away from the square through the already heavily congested Red Lion Square and High Holborn area.

The changes have seen London grind to halt in areas outside of Camden as congestion and air quality continues to worsen.

However, one person on twitter welcomed the changes made around London’s oldest square and congratulated the council for its “immediate restoration” for a healthier and quieter green space.

October 16, 2018 at 01:35PM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI Perry Richardson THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Cab driver left with burns to his arm after passenger set light to his shirt while driving

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A cab driver from Stockton was left with injuries to his arm after one of his passengers used a lighter to burn him. 30 year veteran of the trade, Sean Rogan had picked up two men who asked him to take them to a location in Norton and then return them again. The men paid for the journey upfront so Mr Rogan set off on the journey. According to a report in TeessideLive, on route to the first location Rogan felt a burning sensation on his arm. It was then that he realised that his shirt had been set alight but one of the men. Rogan jumped from his vehicle but was followed immediately by the culprit who put his fist up ready to attack. Both the passengers were shouting for their money back. Rogan was able to fle the scene in his vehicle before any further arm was brought to him. The cab driver who was suffering from shock managed to get to hospital where he as treated for the burns to his arm. The police are now investigating the attack and are looking for both men. Rogan has said he will not get back in his cab until they are caught. A spokesperson for Cleveland Police said: “We received a report of an assault yesterday (October 10) morning at 8:45am. “It was reported that the backseat passenger of a taxi set the driver’s shirt alight using a lighter. “The driver is a 51-year-old male and suffered redness to the skin following the incident.” Inquires are ongoing to trace the man responsible, anyone with information is asked to contact Cleveland Police on 101 quoting event number 186580.

October 16, 2018 at 01:01PM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI Michael Murphy THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

New Lower Thames Crossing to cost up to £6.8 billion

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Proposals for a new crossing of the Thames to ease pressure on the existing Dartford Crossing have been updated.

Highways England says the whole of the route will now have three lanes in each direction, giving a 90% increase in capacity for traffic going between Kent and Essex. The route will be 14.5 miles in length and include a 2.4 mile-long tunnel under the river. It will run from the M2 near Rochester to the M25 near South Ockendon. The new crossing is expected to cut congestion at the existing crossing – which sees 50 million journeys annually – by 22% when it opens in 2025. The latest version of the scheme will now be under consultation for ten weeks. Among the other changes are:

a new rest and service area to the West of East Tilbury Removal of the proposed Tilbury link road to reduce traffic on the local road network Lowering the road by up to six metres in places to reduce its visual impact

The project was described by its director, Tim Jones, as “the biggest single road upgrade since the M25 was completed more than 30 years ago.” Steve Gooding, director of the RAC Foundation, said: “That tens of thousands of people responded to the previous consultation demonstrates that this scheme raises as much passion amongst residents as it does with the millions of drivers who, despite the improvement brought about by free-flow tolling, still routinely get stuck at the existing crossing, especially northbound. “It is vital this project is got right so that it delivers benefits not just for drivers travelling from one end of the country to the other, but also residents of Kent and Essex for whom the Thames often seems like an unbridgeable barrier.”

October 16, 2018 at 10:20AM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI Perry Richardson THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Sherbet London: Why so many apps?

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On a freezing, rainy winter’s night, there are few greater pleasures in London than seeing the yellow light and being scooped up from the cold street into your little private compartment with the rain lashing against the windows and the heating (controllable by you) turned on full. There is legroom, there is headroom, there is calm and quiet, there is privacy and separation from the driver.

For all our capital’s economic glory, we have lost some of the accolades we took pride in as Londoners. Our streets are filled with shops and vehicles which could be anywhere. Now London risks losing one more thing which makes it different, special, and civilised: the world’s best taxis. Cab-driving in London is a profession, its members an elite. The long and difficult process of passing the Knowledge remains a highly effective means of excluding unsuitable or dangerous individuals and creating a corps of skilled, professional drivers. Black cabs also have a wider, symbolic value as an internationally recognised part of London’s identity. The black cab is an important element of “brand London’s” associations with elegance, tradition and quality, and thus has an economic value beyond the purely transportational. The black cab must keep what makes it worth keeping, and worth paying for. We find that at least during the day, the black cab’s main competitive weakness is not price – but predictability and convenience. With other APPs you know, within a relatively narrow range, what the fare will be, you know when the cab will arrive, you do not have to wait in the street, and no cash has to change hands. Black cabs do not consistently offer these services. “Meter anxiety” from sitting in the back and watching the price tick up can be considerable. Providing an app for Elite drivers, being able to access quality work to means we can bring in incremental revenue to our drivers, this is not dilution. We appreciate that competition is great for the industry as it keeps us all on our toes and the need to continually innovate and evolve. The more investments made means that incremental revenue is felt and beneficial to all; we’re not relying on any regulator, we regulate ourselves to be the best. Driven by the Worlds Best.

Evolution and innovation means our current business models of garages are evolving into studios, and our Mechanics are now Technicians. The same pace of advancement means our passengers are now consumers and our administration is now in the Cloud.

Consumer behaviour has changed significantly and consumer demand is such that service is at its highest level; we exist in a brand competitive world with multiple choices and communication messages bombarding us all day at every touch-point.

We can collectively control & maintain Driver & Taxi standards within our Industry, but we must be open to innovation in order to future proof our industry: “Our drivers represent the Sherbet values - their vehicles will be pristine, air conditioned or heated, our drivers smartly dressed, and we’ll offer bottled water to customers on arrival. This is all part of the evolution of our service and brand. Our focus is how we use service excellence and technology to ensure a premium journey experience thus future proofing the sustainability of our industry.”

October 16, 2018 at 08:53AM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI Sherbet London THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Teeside cabbies warned that shorts and vests are a thing of the past

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Teeside cabbies have been warned to smarten up as Hartlepool council's licensing committee become the latest in a line of councils to start to invoke a dress code.

The new guidelines will see changes as to what is deemed to be acceptable behaviour, attire and previous criminal activity. There will also be a tightening up of the criteria required to obtain a taxi license.

Although there has been no set rules in place, cabbies have always been advised to dress smartly.

It has been recognised by the council, that whilst wearing a tie would be impractical, as well as creating a health and safety issue, recommendations have been made for drivers to wear either a shirt or a polo shirt, with shorts and vests being outlawed.

One of the major changes which new applicants may face is the prospect of those who have been convicted of a violent offence having to wait a minimum of 10 years before they can apply for a license.

Under previous rules, a new applicant who had been convicted of a violent offence had to wait between 3 and 5 years before being able to appy for a license.

Another significant change is a commitment by the licensing committee to be part of a new national register ‘NR3.’

This would assist in preventing drivers who have had licences rejected attempting to obtain a license in a different licensing area.

The new national registration system will allow licensing authorities to check an applicants history dating back up to 25 years.

There is no indication as to a start date for the new regulations as yet.

October 15, 2018 at 06:04PM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI Steve Kenton THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

City worker fails in bid to sue London cabbie

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A city worker has had a £1million negligence claim against a London taxi driver thrown out after the judge dismissed the claim as "utterly unrealistic."

The Daily Mail reported that Stephen Jennings, who was a city analyst at the time, had become enraged at his girlfriend after she had taken a phone call, and subsequently spent 2 hours on the phone, whilst the pair were having dinner at a Park Lane hotel.

The incident, which occured in 2012, subsequently led to Mr Jennings leaving the hotel in what was described as a "blind rage," and attempting to cross seven lanes of Park Lane traffic.

Mr Jennings, was eventually struck by a taxi, which left him with head injuries. As a result of those injuries, Mr Jennings now suffers from epilepsy and memory loss.

Mr Jennings was then forced to quit, what was a highly job, durle to the nature of his injuries. He then attempted to sue the driver for his subsequent loss of earnings.

Judge Alan Saggerson described at Central London County Court, how the couple had left the Park Lane hotel in a "volatile" state of mind.

Andrew Ritchie QC, for Mr Jennings, claimed the the cabbie was driving too fast and failed to keep a proper lookout.

Judge Saggerson then dismissed the claim, stating that the sole cause of the accident was Mr Jennings stupidity in attempting to cross the busy lanes of traffic.

October 15, 2018 at 05:46PM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI Steve Kenton THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

A boycott of Uber called by Bahrain's foreign minister

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According to a report in Reuters, Bahrain’s foreign minister Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, has called for a boycott of ride-sharing app Uber after CEO, Dara Khosrowshahi decided to pull out of the Future Investment Initiative conference in Saudi Arabia because of the disappearance of a prominent Saudi journalist in Turkey. The Uber chief joins a list of high profile business executives distancing themselves from the country since Jamal Khashoggi, a journalist who has criticised the Saudi regime in the past, reportedly entered the Saudi consulate in Instanbul, Turkey, and has not been seen since. Amongst major figures to boycott the country are Virgin Group founder Richard Branson, AOL co-founder Steve Case, Los Angeles Times owner Patrick Soon-Shiong and The Huffington Post co-founder Arianna Huffington.

Khosrowshahi’s decision to not show up to the conference which is scheduled to be hosted by one of Uber’s largest investors has left Bahrain’s foreign minister scaving. Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, the Public Investment Fund, invested $3.5 billion into Uber in 2016. Foreign minister Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa has now tweeted calling for a boycott of Uber in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. No further details of the boycott call have been released. It is unclear if it has been aimed at user’s of Uber’s service or investors in the company, or even both. Are Bahrain planning any other measures against Uber? We’ll soon find out.

October 15, 2018 at 01:00PM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI Michael Murphy THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Next steps confirmed for the transformation of streets around Nine Elms

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Transport for London has confirmed the next steps for improving the streets of Nine Elms and making them better for people walking, cycling and using public transport.

The proposals support the wider regeneration in the area and will see the 2.5km stretch of Nine Elms Lane and Battersea Park Road completely redesigned to make more attractive, accessible and people-friendly streets.

The proposals include:

A new substantially segregated cycle route connecting to Cycle Superhighway 8, which runs between Wandsworth and Westminster Signals and junctions designed to separate cyclists and motor vehicles by time or space New wider pavements 23 new or improved pedestrian crossings Improved bus lanes

Due to the length of the route the scheme has been divided into seven sections, with sections one to three along the western sections of Battersea Park Road and sections four to seven along the eastern end of Battersea Park Road and Nine Elms Lane. TfL has taken time to carefully consider and address all the responses to the consultation, which has helped shape the design of the eastern part of the scheme. This section of the scheme includes improved pedestrian space, stepped cycle tracks and bus stop bypasses.

The western sections of the route were not supported as well as the eastern sections at consultation. We are reviewing the designs for this section with a view to delivering greater protection for cyclists and maintaining a key public transport interchange.

Will Norman, London's Walking and Cycling Commissioner, said; 'I'm pleased that the plans for the eastern section of Nine Elms will be progressed including wider pavements, new and improved crossing points and segregated cycle lanes. 'Feedback from the consultation will enable us to improve proposals for the western section, bringing further benefits to pedestrians and cyclists. 'This scheme will enable more people to walk and cycle, reducing car use which is crucial to cleaning up London's toxic air.' Transform the streets

Ben Plowden, Director of Strategy and Network Development for Surface Transport at TfL, said; 'Our ambitious proposals to transform the streets around Nine Elms support the major regeneration of the area, which is bringing new homes, jobs, shops and parks to the local community. 'The improvements are part of our commitment to create Healthy Streets across the capital and include a new substantially segregated cycle route, newly designed junctions and transformed public spaces, for all to enjoy.' The proposals are funded by local developer contributions. In total, more than £1bn of new transport and social infrastructure is being delivered across Nine Elms on the South Bank as it transforms from a largely light industrial area into a vibrant new central London district. Ravi Govindia, Leader of Wandsworth Council, said: 'Nine Elms is already a success story with a new community of residents and businesses who have moved to the area, along with the many visitors who go there regularly to enjoy its cultural and leisure attractions. 'On its vacant industrial land there will soon be 20,000 new homes, including 4,000 affordable units and some 25,000 permanent jobs. 'Delivering the right transport infrastructure is key to its continued success and while construction has already started on the Northern line extension along with a new pier to boost river transport, we need to make sure we get the next phase of infrastructure right.' Subject to securing approvals, construction is likely to take place between 2020 and 2021. TfL and Wandsworth Council continue to coordinate with other work in the area to explore opportunities to integrate proposals, seek cost efficiencies and minimise disruption. As a result, delivery of some sections may take place before or after this timeframe. TfL has also installed temporary upgrades to cycling and pedestrian infrastructure to protect vulnerable road users during the major development of the area.

October 15, 2018 at 10:19AM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI Perry Richardson THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

GPS Navigation App Waze expands it's Ride-sharing feature as it looks to compete with Uber

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The GPS navigation app, Waze, is ready to challenge ride-sharing app’s Uber and Lyft with a new carpooling service that will enable drivers and passengers to share rides and even split fuel costs. Riders will be able to filter drivers by range of criteria, including gender, star ratings, or if they are a coworker. According to Business Insider, waze’s carpooling service will charge 54 cents per mile on all trips. The Google owned app announced on Wednesday 10, that their carpool service will be available across all 50 states of America, allowing users to find rides from Waze drivers that are heading in the same direction. Ride-sharing rivals, Uber and Lyft, both offer their own versions of a carpooling option within their apps but the big difference with Waze’s service is that the drivers are “regular people” that already have jobs that will only be able to complete a maximum of two rides per day. According to a press release, Waze has already partnered with schools and a bunch of workplaces, including Amazon to offer the feature to those making daily trips. Waze was previously only available in San Francisco and in the country it’s based, Israel, but will now cover the whole of the United States. Whether it will expand across Europe is yet to be known, but with many similar competitors looking to gain secure footholds in as many different countries as possible, I wouldn’t bet against it.

October 15, 2018 at 09:37AM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI Michael Murphy THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

LCDC: What happens when policy is built on promises

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As you would have seen on the front page (of this months LCDC Badge), the London Assemby and Transport for London have once more turned their attentions to the age limits that were imposed onto the licensed taxi trade a couple of years ago.

It seems that once again TfL have chosen the taxi trade as the whipping boys. According to TfL, taxis are responsible for a significant contribution to London’s toxic air qualitywith the trade being blamed for 16% NOX and 26% of PMs.

When one considers the number of buses, lorries, vans and finally four times the number of Private Hire vehicles than taxis driving in the capital, then surely one must question the validity of such figures?

“The 15-year age limit for taxis was introduced as part of the drive to tackle London’s air quality crisis. Diesel black cabs make a significant contribution to the city’s toxic air. Urgent action is needed to reduce the pollution they cause” Helen Chapman The stick which Transport for London and the London Assembly are seemingly using to beat us is the statement made by Steve McNamara in his submission to the Ultra-Low Emission Zone consultation, see below: “The LTDA suggested that many vehicle owners would choose to move to ZEC taxis at an accelerated rate and that the existing diesel taxis would be seen as an undesirable vehicle to own and Operate. Therefore without a compulsory age limit but with purchase grants there would be a removal of diesel taxis across all age categories and the associated emissions benefits would be compounded by the benefits of adding ZECs to the fleet. In their place the LTDA suggest there could be 9,000 ZEC taxis in the fleet by the end of 2020.” It is incredible to think that TFL can use the totally illogical optimistic statement above as a means to justify the cab trade accepting a whole new range of age limits for our vehicles. Only last month we attended a meeting with LEVC, who find the same problem when dealing with TFL, and say that TFL constantly quote the 9,000 vehicles and even they admit that with the best will in the world they just could not produce this amount of TX vehicles on that time frame. What Transport for London should be addressing is the plethora of false promises they had made to us during all the ULEZ meetings and consultations. For instance, we were promised that we would have a choice of five taxis and that you would be literally tripping over the charge points throughout the capital etc etc etc Once again and not for the first time, Transport for London is incapable of administrating the transport needs of this City.

October 14, 2018 at 05:37PM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI LCDC THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT