Accusations of the lunatics taking over the asylum as the Corporation of London plans to slash speed limits to 15mph

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In a move that has been described by some as "lunacy," the Corporation of London are planning to slash speed limits in the square mile to just 15mph.

Draft proposals have been submitted as the CoL look to improve safety levels and tackle pollution levels.

In 2017, 54 people were killed or injured in the square mile, this was despite a reduction to 20mph being adopted by CoL on many of the roads in the area.

Despite the speed limit being lowered there has been no significant decrease in fatalaties.

The proposed speed limit reduction has been widely slammed by road experts, such as The AA and IAM RoadSmart, as well as road users themselves.

Some of the opinions put forward onThe Daily Expresscomments section were scathing, with one reader commenting that "this is what happens when you let the lunatics run the asylum." Whilst another stated "Democratically elected lunatics....Blame where blame is due."

Others had commented that pedestrians may be at fault because they had their eyes "glued" to their phones, instead of watching where they were going.

Any lowering of the speed limit would need to be ratified by the Department for Transport, with the Corporation of London hoping to bring in the restrictions by 2022.

October 29, 2018 at 02:52PM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI Steve Kenton THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

A case of lowered driving standards and a lack of responsibility surrounds the tragic death of Uber crash victim

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An Uber driver who stopped on the side of a highway after his phone fell from it’s holder, causing a fatal collision, has pleaded guilty to a reduced Highway Traffic Act charge of careless driving. The tragic incident, which happened during a journey to Pearson International Airport, Toronto, saw Uber driver Abdihared Bihar Mussa, 23, facing four Criminal Code charges, including dangerous driving causing death. The decision to plead guilty to the lesser charge of careless driving has left the victim’s family disappointed. On March 21, 2018, Nicholas Cameron, 28, and his girlfriend, Monika Traikov, ordered an Uber to take them to the airport. Mussa, who had only been working for the ride-hailing app for two days and clearly was not familiar with his way around, inadvertently entered the highway in the opposite direction of the airport. Crown attorney Michael Coristine said reading an agreed statement of facts that once they managed to head in the correct direction of the airport (westbound on the Gardiner Expressway) Mussa’s phone fell from its mount onto the floor. Mussa then pulled onto the shoulder of the highway to retrieve his phone. The statement said that the vehicle was not completely in the hard shoulder lane and was in fact still “at least partially” in the live right lane. As reported in The Star, after placing his phone back into its mount, Mussa very slowly attempted to pull back onto the highway. During this manoeuvre a black BMW sedan which was travelling at a “high rate of speed” struck the back corner of Mussa’s 2012 Hyundai.

Mr. Cameron, who was sitting behind the driver’s seat took the blunt of the impact, suffering a catastrophic neck injury. He died the following day in hospital. His girlfriend was treated for minor injuries and concussion and was released from hospital. The prosecution accepted Mussa’s plea to the lesser charge, stating that while he exercised poor judgement with extremely tragic, unimaginable consequences, his actions were not criminal. Mussa is now likely to receive a fine between $400 - $2,000 along with a 12 month driving probation and mandatory driver training. Cameron’s family and friends shook their heads and sobbed throughout the proceedings and said they were “horrified” by the decision which is barely a slap on the wrist for Mussa. Cameron’s mother, Cheryl Hawkes, has said that the death of her son has ruined her life as she knew it and urged Mussa to take responsibility for his actions. She said “in the end, responsibility for Nick’s death has been left on the side of the road and no one wants to touch it”.

Ontario Court Justice Paul Robertson reserved his sentencing decision to Dec. 4. Toronto’s licensing authority do not go without blame for this tragic incident, a good friend of Cameron has said in a touching essay surrounding the death of a man he says was “putting together an adult life.” Eric Andrew Gee had been best friends with Cameron since they met in third grade and could not fail to point out that rather than enforce rules that would increase the safety of ride-sharing services, Toronto in fact lowered the standards. All cab drivers used to have to undertake road tests and complete a 17 day safety class. This is no longer the requirements since the standards were lowered. Andrew Gee highlighted that even a basic lesson in local geography may have prevented Mussa from first heading in the wrong direction and then becoming completely reliant on his GPS system. Uber urged that its rating system is used to keep poor and unsafe drivers off the roads. That didn’t happen on this occasion and a young innocent man tragically lost his life.

October 29, 2018 at 01:16PM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI Michael Murphy THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

New Yorks Taxi and Limousine Commission apply the brakes and suspend fees to help cabbies

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After a spate of suicide by cabbies in New York, Meera Joshi, head of the Taxi and Limousine Commission has announced a suspension on taxi medallion holders fees, amounting to $20 million.

The move is in response to the mounting criticism being aimed at the commission over the handling of the issues which has seen seven deaths, including one livery driver.

The New York Posthas reported that this is a short term measure, designed to give New York's 11,286 taxi drivers some "breathing space."

Councilman Mark Levine who has been looking to formulate a long term strategy, which will include changes in legislation, has asked for the short term break to help the struggling cabbies.

Bhairavi Desai, head of the New York Taxi Workers Alliance, has welcomed the move.

Between November 2017 and September 2018, Alfredo Perez, Danilo Corporan Castillo, 57, Douglas Schifter, 61, Nicanor Ochisor, 65, Kenny Chow, 56, Abdul Saleh, 59 and Fausto Luna, 58, all committed suicide after falling into hardship due to the arrival of ride-hailing companies devaluing the taxi medallion.

October 29, 2018 at 12:03PM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI Steve Kenton THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Petition by Private Hire Drivers to allow them similar privileges to hackney carriage Taxi drivers knocked back by council

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A group of private hire drivers have lost in their attempt to gain access to bus lanes in the same way hackney carriage taxis do. A group representing the private hire drivers in Blackburn felt that gaining similar privileges as licensed taxi drivers would help boost the trade by cutting time spent in traffic jams. According to a report in the Lancashire Telegraph, the group also pushed for the council to create passenger pick-up and drop-off points specifically for private hire vehicles. The petition put forward to the council highlighted the “noticeable empty bus lanes” throughout the majority of the day and said that by allowing private hire vehicles access, it would give customers a better incentive to use them instead of using their own cars for journeys. Council bosses, who carefully considered the proposals, have knocked back the pleas, stating that as it is a Department for Transport scheme, rules clearly state that major changes cannot be made for up to 10 years.

October 29, 2018 at 09:23AM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI Michael Murphy THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Cabbie keeps license after knocking down off-duty PC

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A cabbie has had a lucky escape afyer knocking down an off-duty PC in Mayhill Road, Glasgow.

Javed Lal collided with the policewoman, and despite stopping at the scene of the

accident, failed to share his contact details.

The Evening Timesreported that Mr Lal was tracked down after a member of the public took down his registration number and made a report to the police.

Mr Lal had received 5 points on his license and was fined £160, but had to aubsequently appear in front of Glasgow's licensing committee.

It was revealed the the victim had initially told the cabbie that she was ok, and told him to go.

The incident, which saw Mr Lal arrested in October 2015, led to the licensing committee criticising the cabbies conduct in not reporting the accident.

The committee agreed to renew the cabbies license but warned him about his future conduct.

October 29, 2018 at 12:29AM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI Steve Kenton THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Police appeal for help following private hire sexual assault on a man in Glasgow

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Police are appealing to a man and a woman who came to the aid of a man who was sexually assaulted in a private hire vehicle between Glasgow and Paisley in the early hours of Sunday 28 October 2018 to contact them. The 22 year old man had been out for the night in Glasgow City Centre around the Argyle Street/Union Street area. Around 2.30am he got into a private hire car to take him home but on route he was touched inappropriately by the driver who then made him leave the car in Paisley. The car was white in colour and the driver is described as being a white man, in his 30s, dark shaved hair, heavy build, with a Scottish or Irish accent. Not knowing where he was, the man then flagged down a couple in a car and they took him to Paisley Police Office. Detective Sergeant Allison Campbell, Paisley Police Office, said: “The man and woman left before we could speak to them. It would be really helpful to our investigation if they would contact Paisley Police Station as their information would assist our investigation. “I would ask anyone who might have seen or was approached by the man in Paisley this morning to get in touch. Please call Paisley Police Station via 101 and quote reference number 1271/28/10.”

October 28, 2018 at 07:45PM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI Perry Richardson THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

All Uber drivers estimated to be £18,900 out of pocket since workers rights case was won

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Thousands of drivers are struggling to pay their rent and feed their families as Uber’s Court of Appeal hearing takes place this week according to Uber driver representatives GMB. Two years on from historic win against Uber, each driver is estimated to be an average of £18,000 out of pocket over that two year period because the company still refuses to accept the judgement of the courts. On October 28, 2016 the Central London Employment Tribunal ruled that Uber drivers were entitled to receive holiday pay, a guaranteed minimum wage and had an entitlement to rest breaks. Rather than accept the decision, Uber has continued to resist the courts’ ruling – taking the case to the Employment Appeal Tribunal last year - and losing again – before taking it to the Court of Appeal in a hearing which starts on Tuesday. Since the date of the first court ruling in 2016, the average loss per driver over the two years has been estimated by Leigh Day, the solicitors representing drivers on behalf of GMB, to be £8,150 on Holiday Pay and £10,750 on National Minimum Wage equating to £18,900 in total. Uber says it has at least 40,000 drivers across the UK. In Uber London’s latest accounts, released last week, they warn shareholders: “The Uber Group [is exposed] to numerous legal and regulatory risks, including, among others, the application, interpretation and enforcement of existing regulations related to the Uber Group’s business model, as well as risks related to the development of new regulations, and claims and litigation related to the Company’s classification of drivers as independent contractors.” Sue Harris, GMB Legal Director, said: “These figures lay bare the human cost of Uber continuing to refuse to accept the ruling of the courts. “While the company are wasting money losing appeal after appeal, their drivers are up to £18,000 out of pocket for the last two years alone. “That’s thousands of drivers struggling to pay their rent, or feed their families. It’s time Uber admits defeat and pays up. “The company needs to stop wasting money dragging its lost cause through the courts. Instead, Uber should do the decent thing and give drivers the rights to which those courts have already said they are legally entitled.”

October 28, 2018 at 11:52AM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI Perry Richardson THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

A fifth of motorists suffer nausea or sickness as a driver or passenger says RAC report

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Car sickness and nausea don’t just affect children, new RAC research has found, with as many as one in five people – the equivalent of 7.3m people – not growing out of it and continuing to suffer as adults. Those embarking on half-term car trips and taxi rides should be warned that sitting in the back seat of a car appears to be the worst place for motion sickness, with 75% of present sufferers saying that is the main place they feel queasy. Twelve per cent of those surveyed say being a front seat passenger brings on the unpleasant feelings, while for one in 20 it’s either driving or being a passenger that makes them feel unwell. Seven per cent say there is no pattern to their motion sickness. The top reason people gave for feeling sick is reading in the car, followed by using a tablet or phone – clearly things that should never be attempted as a driver! Nearly four in 10 blame winding country roads while a third say it’s a lack of fresh air that causes them to feel nauseous – with a similar proportion saying simply not looking out of the window can trigger the feeling. More than a third of drivers say they have even had to take a break as a result of someone feeling unwell in the car, with 2% having to abandon journeys or even avoid them altogether. While the vast majority of past and present sufferers have never sought medical help for motion sickness, more than one in 10 have either used over-the-counter medicine or an alternative remedy like using travel bands or eating ginger to try to alleviate the unpleasant symptoms. A desperate 2% meanwhile have turned to their doctor for help. But a significant proportion say they have their own means of coping with the feeling of nausea, and rely on closing their eyes, trying to sleep or focusing intently on the horizon in order to feel better. RAC spokesperson Rod Dennis said: “While car sickness is often associated with younger children, our research suggests it still remains a problem for a substantial number of older drivers and passengers. “While people suffer from sickness to different degrees, there is a lot passengers in particular can do to reduce the chances of feeling unwell while on the move. Top of the list has to be cutting out reading a book or browsing a phone or tablet while a car is in motion, and using the well-known technique of looking out of the window and fixing on the horizon can be very effective in alleviating a sick feeling. But improving the in-car environment by ensuring plenty of fresh, and ideally cooling air is flowing can also help enormously – especially for people who sit in the rear seats on a long journey. “A smoother driving style can also pay dividends – even if a driver doesn’t suffer sickness themselves, they could suffer some unfortunate consequences if they cause any of their passengers to become unwell simply because they are accelerating or braking too sharply. Driving too fast on windy country roads could be the perfect recipe to make other occupants feel queasy and could even lead to having to do a thorough deep-clean of the upholstery and carpet. “Interestingly, our research also found that a small proportion of drivers say they suffer from potentially-debilitating migraines while in the car – something we would suggest sufferers talk to their GP about.” The RAC research also found that nearly a quarter drivers said that they used to suffer from car sickness, but later grew out of the condition.

October 28, 2018 at 09:47AM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI Perry Richardson THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Police drop investigation into private hire serious sexual assault

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Following a media appeal for information from police, a 42-year-old man was released without charge and police are no longer investigating the alleged serious sexual assault in Motherwell.

Originally police where investigating a private hire journey which took place at around 8.30pm where two women and two men were dropped off in Glen Court by a silver Chevrolet Cruze private hire vehicle.

One of the women, aged 23, was said to have decided to get back into the vehicle and asked the driver to take her home.The minicab driver was then reported to have refused and subjected the woman to a serious sexual assault within the back of the vehicle.A 42 year old man was later arrested and now later released without charge and no further investigation. A spokesperson from Scotland Police said via Facebook: “Thanks to everyone for their assistance.”

October 28, 2018 at 05:57AM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Uber drivers to march with other precarious workers on day of Court of Appeal hearing

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Uber drivers will be joined by hundreds of precarious workers as they march through London on 30 October, the day the Independent Workers Union of Great Britain faces Uber at the Court of Appeal. This is expected to be the biggest precarious workers march ever in the UK.

Couriers, Deliveroo riders, outsourced cleaners, restaurant workers and others will be marching as they demand an end to precarious work. Event page can be found here, with details of a parallel rally to be held in Glasgow here. The protesters will assemble at Transport for London at 8am and march to the Royal Courts of Justice, where IWGB members and co-claimants in the Uber employment rights case James Farrar and Yaseen Aslam will be attending the proceedings at the Court of Appeal. The protest will then go to the University of London, where outsourced workers, including cleaners, receptionists and security officers, will be on strike to end outsourcing and to be made direct employees of the university. Finally the protest will pass by NHS contractor The Doctors Laboratory, where medical couriers are demanding a fair pay deal after two rounds of pay cuts. Representatives from other IWGB branches will also be present at the march, including the foster care workers branch, the electrical workers branch, the cleaners and facilites branch and the security officers and receptionists branch. The march has gathered wide-ranging support and is being backed by Momentum, CWU, BFAWU, United Voices of the World trade union, Unite Hotel Workers branch, Hackney Picturehouse Living Wage Campaign, Lesbians and Gays Support the Migrants and others. Uber case co-claimant and IWGB United Private Hire Drivers branch chair James Farrar said: “At a time when Uber is looking to spread its exploitative model throughout the economy with its staffing business UberWorks, it has never been more important for us to defeat them in court. What is clear from the different kinds of workers that are supporting us in this demonstration is that unity among precarious workers has never been stronger and together we will defeat the dishonest bosses that are trying to do away with our most basic employment rights.”

October 27, 2018 at 12:40AM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI Perry Richardson THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Uber is no longer the world's highest valued Tech - startup

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Ride-hailing giants Uber are no longer the world’s highest-valued tech startup, according to TechCrunch. Chinese tech-startup ByteDance can now claim that title after completing a $3 billion investment which values the company at $75 billion, making it’s overall valuation an astonishing $78 billion, $6 billion more than Uber’s last valuation of $72 billion. Uber have plans to launch an IPO in 2019, with reports suggesting the company could be valued at a staggering $120 billion. Dara Khosrowshahi recently said that the company was still on track for a 2019 IPO, with Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley front runners to secure top roles in the Initial Public Offering. For now though, Uber will have to settle for second place in the list of the world’s highest valued startups.

October 27, 2018 at 11:55AM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI Michael Murphy THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

TfL fudge traffic problems caused by Cycle Superhighway

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TfL have come under fire this week after rejecting a plan to introduce dynamic lane management to the cycle superhighway along the Embankment.

LBC's Nick Ferrari spoke to TfL's Director of Transport Strategy, Lilli Matson, who defended TfL's decision not to implement the proposal, claiming that cyclists are put off because they are scared of traffic.

Ms Matson also stated that the only way you can ensure peoples safety when cycling is to put in resources which are high quality and trusted.

Nick Ferrari countered Ms Matson's comments by repeatedly asking about how TfL are going to tackle pollution if they are reducing roadspace.

Ms Matson was insistant that pollution and congestion ensued because of an excess demand to use London's roads, despite Nick Ferraris insistance that the excess demand had been crrated due to road-space reduction.

Dynamic lane management proposals have been gaining some traction due to the inactivity along the Embankment cycle lane outside of peak hours.

Dynamic lane management is the use of any given lane, in the Embankment's case, the cycle superhighway, outside of prescribed hours, being given over to vehicular traffic.

There is no doubt that this issue will rumble on, as TfL seem to be failing to acknowledge that there are major traffic problems which have been created across London due to poor planning by both themselves amd London borough councils.

October 27, 2018 at 02:06AM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI Steve Kenton THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Serious sexual assault on twenty-three-year-old women in Motherwell by private hire driver

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Detectives are appealing for information after a woman was subjected to a serious sexual assault in the Motherwell area on Thursday 18 October 2018. Around 8.30pm two women and two men were dropped off in Glen Court by a silver Chevrolet Cruze private hire vehicle. One of the women, aged 23, decided to get back into the vehicle and asked the driver to take her home. The minicab driver is then reported to have refused and subjected the woman to a serious sexual assault within the back of the vehicle. The woman then got out of the private hire vehicle and spoke to a passer-by who assisted her in getting a taxi to Motherwell Police Station where she reported the incident to police. A 42 year old man was later arrested and has been released pending further enquiries. Detective Inspector Aileen Boyle from the Divisional Rape Investigation Unit said: “Extensive enquiries are ongoing to establish the full circumstances surrounding what happened and it is absolutely vital that anyone who can assist with our investigation comes forward. “We understand that there may have been other members of the public in Glen Court around the time of the incident and we are appealing to anyone who noticed a taxi or a woman in distress to please get in touch. “You may think your information is not significant, but let us be the judge of that, because it could be important to our enquiries. “Anyone with information is asked to contact the Divisional Rape Investigation Unit based at Motherwell via 101, quoting incident number 3872 of Thursday 18 October 2018. Alternatively you can call CRIMESTOPPERS on where details can be given in confidence.”

October 27, 2018 at 07:37AM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI Perry Richardson THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

miwhip: London gains another private hire app looking to uncut rivals

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Transport for London awards Private Hire Operator Licence to miwhip Ltd, a London-based technology and transport company.

Founded in the UK’s capital city, miwhip is an app built on a digital platform that allows London riders to connect to private hire drivers. Providing an on-demand service, aimed towards the 8.7 million Londoners & nearly 20 million tourists visiting one of the most popular cities in the world. On 19th October miwhip were officially licensed as a Private Hire Operator by Transport for London. miwhip have shaped their focus around a continued commitment to set a standard of transparency, compliance and a quality service, along with a strong focus on safety, fair competition and security for all users in London’s Private Hire Industry. In an already bloated and volatile private hire market, miwhip looks to undercut competitors like Uber by offering it’s drivers a low commission rate of 15%, instant pay-outs and 24/7 London-based support. Rizwan Ahmed, CEO of miwhip Ltd, said: “The city will be home to our vision for miwhip, and it only seems fair for it to be valued here, in London. After much preparation and anticipation, we’re proud to be given this opportunity and aim to rise to every challenge from here on. Having witnessed our father’s journey as a cab-driver in Wembley, helped us address some of the challenges we know London drivers face today - This also represents the true foundations of miwhip. Our promise is to give back to our city and place our driver-partners first. “It’s a commitment that is close to our hearts and reminds us every day that our story is successful simply because it is real. I’d like to pay tribute to the team, drivers, and supporters for helping us reach this point. The stage is equally theirs...Thank you.”

October 27, 2018 at 12:23AM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI Perry Richardson THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Lincoln cabbie stripped of his licence after accumulating 12 points

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A Lincoln cabbie has bee stripped of his licence after accumulating 12 points.

Graham Taylor of Thorpe On The Hill received a ban after not disclosing that he had been caught speeding three times in five months, as well as disobeying a train signal, the offences took place back in 2016.

Taylor's license was revoked in March of 2018 by the City of Lincoln Council, but an appeal was launched, which was heard at Lincoln Magistrates Court. The revocation was subsequently upheld by the court.

It was also revealed that Taylor had committed similar offences in 2009 and 2011, as well as a non-disclosure offence.

The revocation means that Taylor will not be able to re-apply for a new license for a minimum of two years.

October 27, 2018 at 12:59AM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI Steve Kenton THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Calls for advertising watchdog to investigate Evening Standard after Uber interview

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It has been revealed byOpen Democracythat there have been calls for an investigation by the Advertising Standards Authority into the Evening Standard, which is edited by George Osborne, after what can only be described as a "gushing" interview with Uber CEO, Dara Khosrowshahi.

The basis behind the calls are the fact that the interview, which was presented as a news article, failed to inform readers that the minicab giant is one of several companies who are part of a £3 million deal called Future London.

Future London is a commercial deal where companies are promoted through positive news and commentary.

Lib-Dem, London Assembly Member, Caroline Pidgeon and Green Party MP, Caroline Lucas have both called for an investigation.

Whilst the printed version of the Evening Standard did not mention the "Future London" initiative, the online version did give a minor nod to Uber's involvement with the project.

It is considered "best practice" to highlight a company's involvement in such projects by using company branding and making sure that any commercial links are highlighted.

According to Open Democracy, the Evening Standard had claimed that "editorial pressure" had led to the ommission of any recognition of the initiative.

The excuse has, however, been branded as a "pathetic arse-covering exercise" as well as making the accusation that readers are being treated like idiots by an industry insider, the latter comment was made after a sentence was inserted after around 400,000 copies had already been circulated without any tie-in acknowledgement.

Questions have already been asked regarding George Osborne's role as editor when the deal was first announced.

Dara Khosrowshahi said in his interview with The Evening Standard that he would love to have the whole of the London Transport industry on the Uber platform, including Black cabs.

It has been widely believed that former chancellor, George Osborne is a major advocate of Uber, with many, including Steve McNamara at the LTDA accusing Downing Street of behaving like "paid up lobbyists for Uber."

October 27, 2018 at 12:45AM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI Steve Kenton THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

latest ride-hailing firm Ola could be setting up office on the outskirts of London

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Ride-hailing firm Ola could be setting up office in Reading, just outside London, as they look to continue growth across the UK. According to In Your Area, the Indian based app firm have submitted a planning application to Reading Borough Council for office space on Greyfriars Road.

Ola offer a similar service to ride-sharing giants Uber. The only difference is that Ola give passengers the option between a private hire vehicle and a traditional metered taxi. Ola already operate in Wales and recently announced that they will also be available in Bristol, Bath and Exeter. A freedom of information request also recently revealed that they were granted an operators licence by Wolverhampton city council. Ola have yet to apply for a licence to operate in London, but if they were to acquire office space right on the doorstep of the capital, it could well be a matter of “when” rather than “if.”

October 26, 2018 at 04:44PM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI Michael Murphy THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT