Private Hire Driver has his licence revoked for leaving threatening messages on a female passenger's phone

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A Bolton private hire driver who left menacing voice messages and texts on the phone of a female passenger has had his licence revoked. The man, who has not been named, hounded his victim with threatening messages, some of which included sexual connotations. Bolton Council Licensing Sub-Committee held a meeting in late November to discuss the outcome of the incident which forced the victim to move back into her parent’s home because she was too afraid to be left alone. One of the messages left on the victim's phone was of the man saying "I will get you". The father of the victim had reported the stalking abuse to the police, who interviewed the suspect on November 10. Evidence, in the form of WhatsApp messages, was provided to the Licensing Committee, including a voice message of the suspect saying the victims name and laughing down the phone. The victim said that she never gave her number to the private hire driver at any point, this would suggest that he may of got it from her booking information. She said she was able to discover the identity of the man from his WhatsApp profile picture. The Bolton News confirmed that the meeting was chaired by Cllr Madeline Murray and included Cllr Hilary Fairclough, Cllr David Greenhalgh and Cllr Sue Haworth, who decided that the driver’s licence should be revoked on the basis of public safety. The group said: “members of the public and in particular, the elderly, infirm and children or vulnerable adults entrust their personal safety and wellbeing to private hire drivers whenever they take a journey. “Passengers often travel alone and are vulnerable to inappropriate behaviour. The Sub-Committee’s primary duty is of concern for the safety and wellbeing of the public. “There is therefore reasonable cause to revoke the private hire driver’s licence with immediate effect on the grounds of public safety.”

(Image credit:Flickr)

December 24, 2018 at 09:37AM http://bit.ly/2UVulRY Michael Murphy THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Uber’s JUMP bikes receives revamp ready for its global expansion

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Ride-hailing giants Uber revamp their bike rental service JUMP ready for its global expansion.

The new bike is set to launch in San Francisco in January first and then expand to over a dozen cities throughout the year A spokesperson from Uber said they were excited by the next generation of JUMP’s iconic custom red bike. It has a handful of updates on the outside, and a brand new inside to make riding even more enjoyable. Some of the new features include phone mount, front dashboard, swappable battery and flexible cable lock.

On the inside, the new JUMP bike is built off of high performaning technology platform. With 4G connectivity, the booking experience – whether reserving remotely or walking up to a bike – is much faster.

Uber day the ride experience is more reliable, since the bike can now self-diagnose its most common failures. And with full connectivity for all on-board vehicle systems, it’s fleets will be smarter and safer over time, as they use the live diagnostic data from each vehicle to uniquely optimize its performance with algorithms running in there cloud.

The market for bike hire has yet to take off in the UK despite several companies having already launched. Uber hope it’s well known platform will help users find the bikes location making it more successful than other competitors.

December 23, 2018 at 07:52AM http://bit.ly/2UVulRY Perry Richardson THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Private Hire Driver spent over two hours driving his victim around looking for a secluded place to sexually assault her

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A private hire driver who sexually assaulted a woman hours after his licence expired has been told by his victim “you are a predator and a disgrace of a human being.” Mohammed Tahir picked up his 33-year-old victim in Bootle, Liverpool, after she attended a night out with her friends drinking. Tahir drove the woman to the city centre where she was hoping to meet back up with her friends but its believed she fell asleep during the short trip. Tahir then drove his victim to a secluded spot and attacked her. The court heard that he spent two and half hours driving around looking for a quiet area before ending up Netherton. Once stopped, the court heard that he need climbed into the back seat and sexually assaulted her. Tahir had a short term private hire licence that expired at midnight December 26 2017. The attack took place during the early hours of December 27. Sarah Holt, prosecuting, said that although Tahir didn’t have any previous convictions, concerns had been raised about him being in the company of young females in 2015. Jailing Tahir for 12 years, judge Andrew Menary QC said: “at a time she(the victim) was completely helpless in the early hours of the morning. “The case involves a degree of abduction or at least prolonged detention. You had realised she was sufficiently affected by drink or tiredness or a combination of both and was not in a fit state to look after herself and you took advantage of that.” On top of his 12-year jail sentence, Tahir was also ordered to sign the Sex Offenders Register for life and had an Indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order imposed on him, banning him from ever working as a private hire driver or as a person transporting females. The victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, stood up in court and confronted her attacker. She told him that her life had “been turned upside down” and feels “a shell” of her former self. She added: “I cannot remember much, but waking up the next morning I had flashbacks and I knew I had been assaulted. I couldn’t breathe and was crying.” She was told by the police that she couldn’t wash until evidence was taken but she said as soon as she was able to, she scrubbed her skin “until it was red raw.” The Liverpool Echo also confirmed that she was also put on medication in case she had been exposed to HIV and spent the next six months not knowing if she had contracted the life limiting disease.

Tahir, of Sunnyside, Toxteth, was cleared of rape but was convicted, after two trials, of assault by penetration.

The court heard that he will also be departed once he has completed serving his sentence.

(Image credit: Merseyside Police)

December 22, 2018 at 01:14PM http://bit.ly/2UVulRY Michael Murphy THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

4000 taxis disappear from Northern Irelands streets in just 5 years

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It's been revealed by the BBC that there has been a 27% reduction in the number of taxis registered in Northern Ireland.

The worrying statistic is being blamed on the introductiin of enhanced theory and practical tests, which were introduced in 2014.

There were 15,430 registered taxis in 2013, this number has now shrunk to just 11,328 in 2018.

There are now serious concerns that the taxi industry is severely under-subscribed, by both passengers as well as taxi companies.

Some criticism has been levelled at the way some of the questions have been presented on the theory test.

Questions such as the impact of air conditioning on fuel consumption have been cited as being completely irrelevant to a prospective candidate wishing to becomea taxi driver.

Another factor which has been presented is the rising cost of insurance, which is a contributory factor in making it very difficult for cabbies to turn a profit.

With a pass rate of just 20% who undertake the taxi test, the Department for Infrastructure is reviewing aspects of the test to ensure that it is fit for purpose.

December 22, 2018 at 01:07PM http://bit.ly/2UVulRY Steve Kenton THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Another conviction made after shocking footage of England fans vandalising cab after World Cup quarter final victory went viral

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A woman who helped vandalise a private hire vehicle in Nottingham after England’s World Cup victory against Sweden, has been ordered to pay the driver £200 in damages. The shocking scenes unfolded as hundreds of England fans flooded into Nottingham City’s Old Market Square to celebrate the national teams football victory. A man was filmed jumping on the roof of a private hire vehicle and stomping until the sunroof caved in. Joanne Duke, 42, was amongst those who joined in the vandalism. She was seen hitting the side of the vehicle. Duke, who was drunk at the time of the incident and was living out of a tent, admitted the offence and was given a 28-day prison term, suspended for nine months, along with the £200 fine. District judge Tim Spruance said: “This was not an ordinary criminal damage charge. “It represents group disorder and uncontrolled behaviour with complete disregard for those in any way affected. “There were people who got a very poor view of the city of Nottingham, with this perception of this great city shown around the world”. Cabbie Arif Qureshi, 61, suffered “significant physical, psychological and financial impact and damage to his livelihood” the judge told Duke. The judge also highlighted that he was aware that Duke did not start the incident and that the vehicle was already badly damaged when she began to join in the vandalism. According to a report in the Nottinghamshire Live, a 27-year-old man had been cautioned for his part in the incident and another suspect was released. Sanjay Jerath, prosecuting, said that the incident was filmed and posted up on YouTube by many who were present. He said that Qureshi had just dropped off a passenger when moments later he was surrounded by drunk supporters out celebrating the victory. A man jumped onto the roof of the vehicle - shattering the sunroof all over Qureshi, who managed to escape the car. Qureshi was unable to do anything as revellers continued to vandalise his vehicle. He was left unable to work until his vehicle was fixed.

(Video credit: YouTube)

December 22, 2018 at 08:50AM http://bit.ly/2UVulRY Michael Murphy THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Man jailed over fatal taxi base fight over £60 fare

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A man has today been sentenced to seven years in prison after a man died following a fight at a taxi base in Nechells last year. Ibrahim Osman (pictured above), aged 18, pleaded guilty to manslaughter on the second day of a murder trial which started at Birmingham Crown Court on Monday 3 December.

Police were called to Embassy Taxis on Oliver Street on the evening of Friday 26 May following reports that a man had been assaulted and knocked unconscious. Rahat Saeed, aged 37, was taken to hospital with a head injury. He continued to be treated until 4 June when he sadly died.

Detective Sergeant Tim Longbottom, from the force’s homicide team, said: “Mr Osman appears to have become involved in a customer’s disagreement with the taxi firm over some money left in a cab. Osman got into another taxi and went with the customer to the taxi base demanding the £60. He got into a heated argument with Mr Saeed, a fight broke out and he was hit several times, knocking him unconscious."

“Mr Saeed was taken to hospital and received treatment. However, he tragically died several days later after developing complications as a consequence of his head injury." “I hope today’s sentence brings some comfort to Mr Saeed’s family who are understandably devastated by what has happened." Abdiwali Ashkir, aged 20 from Ruthven View, Leeds, also pleaded guilty to a public order offence, of causing fear or violence for his part in the disorder. He was given a 14 week sentence suspended by 18 months and a community order of 260 hours.

December 22, 2018 at 08:48AM http://bit.ly/2UVulRY Perry Richardson THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Man who repeatedly stabbed a Taxi driver in the head with a screwdriver sentenced to nine years in jail

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A man who savagely attacked a taxi driver with a screwdriver has been jailed after being on the run for two years. 38-year-old Suraj Roman from Rugby, fled the country to Romania after stabbing the taxi driver in the head, leaving him with over ten puncture wounds. Andrew Scott, Lead Detective Constable, said that two days after committing the attack, which took place in September 2013, Roman fled back to Romania to avoid his imminent arrest. Roman later attempted to change his appearance and sneak back into the UK in 2015. When arriving back at Luton Airport, he was successfully arrested and this week trialed at court where he received a nine year jail sentence. The attack occurred when Roman cold-called at the victims house after noticing his taxi parked outside. He asked if it would be possible for the taxi driver to drive him from Coventry to Berryfields Farm - a 19 mile journey. The taxi driver refused after Roman admitted not having any money to pay for the trip, but eventually changed his mind and agreed to doing the good deed after Roman had spoken to the victims mother in a bid to change her son’s mind. On arrival at Berryfields Farm, Roman pulled out a screwdriver and began to stab his victim in the head. The taxi driver managed to escape the vehicle but was pounced on by Roman who continued the vicious attack. Fighting for his life, the tai driver managed to break free and flag down a passing motorist who called the police. When arrested back in the Uk, Roman denied the offences but was trialed at Northampton Crown Court. As reported in the Daventry Express, DNA and fingerprint evidence linked Roman to the offence and following a three-day trial, he was found guilty of causing Trevino’s bodily harm. DC Andrew Scott said “this was a sustained attack, even as the victim was trying to get away, on an innocent man who offered him a free lift just out of his good nature. “Roman repaid him with a violent outburst that will no doubt live with the victim for the rest of his life”.

December 21, 2018 at 04:52PM http://bit.ly/2UVulRY Michael Murphy THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

York taxi and private hire drivers suspended for defects including dashboard engine warning light illumination

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A series of checks on taxis and private hire vehicles in York has been carried out as part of a shared operation to ensure the vehicles are providing a safe service to passengers. Drivers have had their licences suspended for defective coil springs and for warning lights displayed on their vehicle dashboard. The multi-agency operation ran twice in November and December, and involved officers from taxi licensing partners including City of York Council, North Yorkshire Police and the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA). Over the two operations, a total of 25 private hire vehicles and hackney carriages operating in York were stopped and checked. Vehicles licensed by York, Leeds, Bradford and Wakefield were inspected. The council say that all vehicles underwent full mechanical examinations for defects by the DVSA at the council’s MOT test centre at Hazel Court or at the roadside, to check they were driving were safe to carry customers on the roads. Checks were also made to ensure that the drivers were properly licensed and insured. As a result, six vehicles were ordered off the road by the DVSA and had their licences suspended. Four of the six suspended taxis and private hire vehicles were licensed by City of York, three of which were suspended for a period of 4 - 8 days, with one vehicle still off the road. The vehicles were suspended due to the following faults:

defective tyrestyres fitted to the front axle of different sizes and no operable sparedefective or inoperative headlightsan illuminated engine warning lightdefective coil springs.

A further twelve drivers were advised to repair minor vehicle defects and several others were also warned by enforcement officers about breaches of licensing conditions. Cllr Peter Dew, executive member for transport and planning, said: “This operation shows our commitment to ensuring only safe and correctly licensed taxis and private hire vehicles operate within the city. We will continue to work closely and share resources with North Yorkshire Police and the DVSA, to tackle this issue directly and make York safer for those travelling by taxi.”

December 21, 2018 at 11:00AM http://bit.ly/2UVulRY Perry Richardson THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

New York cabbies thwart congestion charge

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Five New York taxi fleet owners and four individual drivers have thwarted plans for New York City and state officials to implement congestion charging against the industry.

A judge has stopped the fee in its tracks after the cabbies sued, stating that the fee was arbitrary and capricious and unfairly harms taxi medallion owners.

The congestion charge was due to start on Jan 1, however nothing can be enforced until after a hearing on Jan 3.

Governer Andrew Cuomo approved the legislation to impose a $2.75 fee for trips to and from central and lower Manhattan ordered through ride-hailing apps such as Uber and Lyft and a $2.50 charge for yellow cab rides.

Patch have reported that the impending implementation of the charge has led to New York's beleaguered cabbies protesting against the new rule, and have argued that the fee will add to the heavy financial burden that many medallion owners are enduring.

Eight cabbies have committed suicide in the last thirteen months, with the families of some of the drivers citing heavy debts as a dominating factor.

December 21, 2018 at 12:42AM http://bit.ly/2UVulRY THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Minicab driver who had nose bitten off thought he was going to die

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A 51 year old minicab driver described how he thought he was going to die after being viciously attacked by a passenger.

Abiodun Olatunji, from Dartford in Kent was working for a minicab firm in Romford, Essex.

He picked up his attacker from the minicab compan's office, and after driving a few miles the pssenger became agitated and demanded a different destination.

Mr Olatunji then started to fear for his safety after he was directed down some dark roads. It was at this point that the minicab driver decided to end the journey, his passenger then got out and stood in front of the vehicle.

The Evening Standard reported that the man then attacked Mr Olatunji when the driver got out of the vehicle to retrieve his dashcam after the passenger reached into the cars open window to remove it and throw it.

The stricken cabbie then explained how he thought he was going to die after having his nose bitten off, as well as suffering other facial injuries.

As a result of the injuries inflicted upon him, Mr Olatunji has had to endure several bouts of reconstructive surgery.

Police have now released an image of a man they would like to speak to and have urged anyone who recognises the man to contact them as a matter of urgency.

Anyone with information is asked to call East Area CID on 020 8345 3512 or 101, Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

December 20, 2018 at 08:17PM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Landmark appeals win for IWGB, but frustration shows as three year fight looks set to drag on

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The Independent Workers Union of Great Britain (IWGB) yesterday defeated Uber at the Court of Appeal, in a landmark decision over the employment rights of its drivers. The Court of Appeal yesterday upheld the previous decisions by the Employment Tribunal and Employment Appeal Tribunal, which ruled that Uber had unlawfully classified Uber drivers as independent contractors rather than workers, denying them basic rights such as a guaranteed minimum wage and holiday pay. The IWGB is backing the two lead claimants Yaseen Aslam and James Farrar on the case. They are being represented by solicitors Paul Jennings and Rachel Mathieson from Bates Wells Braithwaite, and barristers Jason Galbraith-Marten QC and Sheryn Omeri. GMB is backing additional claimants, represented by solicitors from Leigh Day and barrister Tom Linden QC. The decision will put further pressure on Uber to abide by UK employment law and start classifying its drivers as workers. It will also add pressure on the government to start to properly regulate employment law, something both have so-far failed to do. Co-lead claimant and secretary of the IWGB's United Private Hire Drivers branch Yaseen Aslam said: “I'm delighted with today ruling, but frustrated that the process has dragged on for over three years. It cannot be left to precarious workers like us to bring companies like Uber to account and despite the personal price we have had to pay, we are the lucky ones. We know of many that are under such hardship, that it would be unimaginable for them to take a multi-billion pound company to court. It is now time for the government and the Mayor of London to act and stop letting companies like Uber take them for a ride.” Co-lead claimant and chair of the IWGB's United Private Hire Drivers branch James Farrar said: "I am delighted today’s ruling brings us closer to the ending Uber’s abuse of precarious workers made possible by tactics of contract trickery, psychological manipulation and old-fashioned bullying.

“However, I am dismayed that implementation of worker status for drivers is further delayed while Uber seeks yet another appeal. This is nothing more than a cynical ploy to delay inevitable changes to its business model while it pursues a record breaking $120 billion stock market flotation. It’s time for Uber to come clean with all its stakeholders and abide by the decision of the courts." IWGB General Secretary Jason Moyer-Lee said: “It is becoming increasingly ridiculous for so-called “gig economy” companies to argue that the law is unclear when they lose virtually every tribunal and court case. Companies like Uber continue to get away with depriving their workers of basic rights because the government does virtually nothing to enforce employment law and the Tories so-called reforms announced this week will do nothing to change that.”

December 20, 2018 at 04:34PM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI Perry Richardson THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Reports suggest Uber accounts are being traded on the black market to unlicensed drivers

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Dutch junior transport minister Steintje Van Van Veldhoven has called for the ministry’s inspectors to investigate claims that Uber drivers are trading their accounts to unlicensed drivers to work on the platform. It was highlighted in the Dutch News, the ease of which an unlicensed driver can access an Uber driver’s account and pick up customers. Van Veldhoven has said that it is up to Uber to make sure drivers accounts cannot be traded and expects the tech giants to do all they can to prevent unlicensed drivers from gaining access to licensed drivers accounts. A report by AT5 showed that taking over a drivers account simply required a mail address, password and confirmation code which could be passed on easily to unlicensed drivers with their own phone. Earlier in September 2018, NBC reported the same scam which was taking place in the United States which allowed unlicensed drivers to pose as ride-hailing drivers, leaving passengers unable to spot fake drivers. Undercover work by NBC discovered that Uber accounts were being sold on the black market for as much as $200 per week. Clients paid brokers to set up accounts and the renters then linked to their bank accounts. The fake drivers would keep any money they made from driving passengers around.

December 20, 2018 at 01:24PM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI Michael Murphy THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Taxi driver arrested on suspicion of religiously aggravated harassment

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A Preston cabbie has been arrested on suspicion of religiously aggravated harassment.

The unnamed 41 year old is being questioned by Lancashire Police after a video was posted online, abusing Muslims who have converted to Christianity.

The video shows the man making threats as well as using offensive and derogatory language towards his targets.

The BBC have reported that the man remains in custody pending further investigation.

Preston City Council have confirmed that the man arrested is a cab driver, ot is unvlear as to whether his license has been suspended at this time.

December 20, 2018 at 11:16AM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI Steve Kenton THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Private Hire drivers face action after undercover sting finds fifty percent Illegally accepted trips that were not pre-booked

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An undercover sting by Telford & Wrekin Council’s Public Protection officers posing as customers in Madeley, Newport and at Telford Shopping Centre, found that fifty percent of the private hire drivers they approached accepted the fare without being prebooked. Eight drivers were approached during the operation, designed to crackdown on illegal minicab activities, and four of those said yes to taking the journeys.

These matters are now being investigated by licensing officers and all four drivers are likely to face action which could include having their licences revoked.

Earlier this month at Shropshire Magistrates, sitting in Telford, a Go Carz private hire driver admitted to the offence of illegally plying for hire in Newport High Street, the Shropshire Star first reported.

Yaw Mensah, of Bembridge, Brookside, was fined £500 for plying for hire and given six penalty points. He also admitted driving without insurance, for which the court imposed no separate penalty. He was also ordered to pay costs of £240.

December 20, 2018 at 07:23AM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI Michael Murphy THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

TfL congestion charge for minicab drivers could cost them 25% of earnings say representives

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Transport for London's (TfL) announcement that it will lift the exemption on congestion charge for private hire vehicles will hit minicab drivers on poverty wages while doing little to address London's air pollution problem. This policy will see below minimum wage precarious workers, already denied their worker rights, now lose as much as 25%, according to an analysis by the Independent Workers Union of Great Britain's (IWGB) United Private Hire Drivers (UPHD) branch. TfL's own impact analysis showed a disproportionate impact on poor and BME workers with 71% of TfL licensed minicab drivers hailing from designated deprived areas and 94% identifying as BME. Len Duvall, Leader of the Labour Group in the London Assembly blasted the policy as discriminatory before the London Assembly voted to reject this policy by a margin of 16-3. A better alternative to this policy would have been to levy the congestion charge tax directly on the consumer or the operator who can pass on the charge to the consumer. But in its current form, drivers have no option to pass on the charge and operators like Addison Lee have already indicatedthat they will pass the charge to the driver but not the consumer. The only effective way to reduce the impact of private hire vehicles on the environment is for TfL to stop runaway licensing and follow the lead of New York City, where the number of minicabs were capped while setting a minimum wage target for operators like Uber. In a meeting in October with Secretary of State for Transport Chris Grayling, Dara Khosrowshahi indicated that he would prefer to see a congestion charge, even if had a regressive impact on poor drivers, than a cap which he said was: “the wrong way to regulate the market and an inappropriate market intervention by the government” Abdura Razzak Hadi, chair of the London committee of the IWGB's UPHD branch said: "It's time for the Mayor of London to stop putting the vested interests of global mega-corporations and wealthy London consumers ahead of precarious workers suffering sweatshop conditions. The only solution to London's congestion is to cap and reduce private hire vehicles and to protect the worker rights of minicab drivers. The Mayor has done little for the former and nothing of the latter.”

December 19, 2018 at 07:02PM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI Perry Richardson THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Fresh blow to gig economy as GMB Union celebrate Court of Appeal Uber ruling

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GMB Union celebrates ‘early Christmas present’ as Court upholds ruling that Uber drivers entitled to employment rights. GMB, the union for professional drivers, hailed a ‘hat trick’ of legal wins for Uber drivers after the Court of Appeal upheld upheld a ruling that they should be classified as workers.

In October 2016, the Central London Employment Tribunal ruled in GMB's favour - determining that Uber drivers are not self-employed, but ARE workers entitled to workers’ rights including holiday pay, a guaranteed minimum wage and an entitlement to breaks.Instead of accepting the judgement of the courts, Uber took their case to the Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) last year, which ruled against the ride-sharing company.The Court of Appeal judgement is Uber's third legal defeat on this issue in as many years.Tim Roache, GMB General Secretary, said:“We’re now at a hat trick of judgements against Uber, they keep appealing and keep losing. Uber should just accept the verdict and stop trying to find loopholes that deprive people of their hard won rights and hard earned pay.“This is the perfect early Christmas present for GMB's Uber members, but this case is about the wider ‘gig economy’ too."Employers are on notice that they can’t just run rough shod over working people to put more on the bottom line for shareholders.”Nigel Mackay, partner in Leigh Day’s employment team, said:“We are very pleased that the Court of Appeal has again upheld the Employment Tribunal’s findings that Uber drivers are workers of Uber. “This is the third time that the drivers have been victorious in their fight for workers’ rights but Uber has yet to give their drivers what three legal decisions have ruled they are entitled to – holiday pay and to be paid at least the National Minimum Wage.“We hope that Uber now faces up to its responsibilities instead of spending time and money in the courts attempting to deny its drivers these rights.”

December 19, 2018 at 04:39PM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI Perry Richardson THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Uber driver acquitted of terror attack

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It has just been revealed by thaSky News that an Uber driver who attacked police with a samurai sword outside Buckingham Palace has been acquitted.

27 year old Mohiussunnath Chowdhury from Luton, Bedfordshire, had attacked three police officers on August 25 2018. The jury had spent over 11 hours deliberating before coming to a verdict in a retrial at the Old Bailey.

Last week TaxiPoint reported that the Old Bailey heard how Chowdhury, drove his blue Toyota Prius through traffic cones at a marked police van and reached for the sword, before being sprayed with CS gas and arrested.

The Old Bailey also heard last week how he was repeatedly shouting ‘Allahu Akbar’ during a scuffle with two officers outside the royal residence at Constitution Hill.

December 19, 2018 at 03:57PM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI Steve Kenton THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Three arrests made after private hire driver stabbed in the eye

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Police have arrested three people after a private hire driver was attacked and stabbed in the eye with a stilletto heel.

West Midlands police have confirmed that they have arrested a 19-year-old man on suspicion of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, an 18-year-old woman on suspicion of assault and an 18-year a woman on suspicion of theft.

All three suspects have been released pending further investigation.

TaxiPoint reported on December 18 how PHV driver Afaq Iftikhar, 32, picked up four women and a man from the Arcadian Centre, Birmingham in the early hours of Saturday morning, and was then forced to pull over after one of the women began vomiting in his vehicle in Upper Dean Street, sometime between 3.50 and 4.25am.

After asking his passengers to leave the vehicle, he saw one of the women stealing money from the front of his vehicle.

He was then viciously attacked after threatening to call the police. The driver was kicked and punched by two of the passengers which resulted in head injuries, as well as a ruptured eye after being stabbed with a stilletto heel.

It is feared that Mr Iftikhar could now be permanently blind.

Anyone with information can contact West Midlands police at west-midlands.police.uk between 8am to midnight, call 101 or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. Please quote crime reference 20BW/292039C/18.

December 19, 2018 at 01:00PM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI Steve Kenton THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

“The Mayor has today shown a shocking disregard” says LTDA on taxi age limit reduction plans

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Transport for London will consult on proposals to reduce the taxi age limit for the dirtiest vehicles to 12 years by 2022 much to the anger of drivers and taxi representatives.

The 15-year age limit would be strictly mandated in 2019, with a proposed reduction in the age limit each year until a 12 year age limit is reached. The age limit for Euro 6, LPG and ZEC taxis is proposed to remain at 15 years.

The London regulators also announced today that take-up of existing support to delicense dirty diesels has been low, with only around £450,000 of a multimillion pound fund used. TfL has restructured this funding to make it more attractive, with £18m of payments available for taxi drivers who delicense their vehicles. Top payments of £10,000 are available to the first 250 applicants, with tiered payment levels available at significantly higher levels than the current scheme.

A limited number of LPG conversion grants will also be available to drivers of Euro 5 taxis to support the shift of those vehicles with the worst NOx emissions to cleaner vehicles. The new delicensing payments and LPG grants will be open to applicants in January 2019.

Steve McNamara, General Secretary of the Licensed Taxi Drivers’ Association, reacted angrily to the Mayor’s announcement by saying: “The Mayor has today shown a shocking disregard for London’s historic black cab trade. Around 18,000 hardworking cabbies and the livelihoods of Londoners will be hit by this reduction. “Sadiq is holding two thirds of London’s cab drivers to ransom. He’s banning them from using or selling on their cabs, while doing next to nothing to help them buy the new electric taxi. This is a kick in the teeth. It will decimate the fleets, put drivers out of work and adversely affect the entire trade. “To add insult to injury the Mayor has drastically cut the £42 million ‘ring-fenced’ to help cabbies make the switch – not enough in itself – to £18 million. “London’s taxi drivers know how crucial it is we tackle air pollution and want to switch to the cleaner cab – over 1000 already have. We need more money for a realistic decommissioning scheme, and TfL must work with the boroughs to install more rapid charging points for taxis. Drivers need to feel confident when buying the taxi that they can charge it wherever they are in London, and get back to work as quickly as possible.”

December 19, 2018 at 11:44AM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI Perry Richardson THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Mayor and TfL launch bold plans to reduce congestion, clean up polluting taxis and tackle London’s lethal air

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The Mayor and Transport for London (TfL) have unveiled a package of measures to reduce air pollution and congestion in central London, with the aim of protecting Londoners’ health and giving them the air quality they deserve. The package confirms that private hire vehicles will no longer be exempt from the Congestion Charge. This change will help reduce congestion and, combined with the start of the Ultra Low Emission Zone next April, will ensure further action is taken to clean up this fleet. Following a public consultation that received more than 10,000 responses, the changes to the Congestion Charge include the replacement of the Ultra Low Emission Discount with a new phased Cleaner Vehicle Discount (CVD) that will incentivise only the cleanest vehicles to drive in central London. In the first phase, only zero emission-capable vehicles will be exempt from the Congestion Charge from 8 April 2019. The restrictions will tighten further in October 2021 to support the Mayor’s ambition for zero-emission road transport by 2050, with only pure electric vehicles qualifying for the discount. The discount will expire in December 2025. The Mayor has also announced that PHVs that do not meet the CVD standard or are not wheelchair accessible will also be discouraged from driving in central London with the removal of their exemption from the Congestion Charge. The changes affecting PHVs will help tackle congestion and its associated problems, such as poor air quality, and are expected to reduce the number of PHVs circulating in the Congestion Charging Zone by up to 8,000 a day. The proposal was supported by the majority of respondents to the consultation. Since the start of this year new diesel taxis have been banned from being licensed to operate on London’s streets but further measures are required to deliver vital improvements in air quality to protect public health. Recent analysis by the International Council on Clean Transportation shows that real-world emissions from London taxis are seven times laboratory limits, far exceeding passenger diesel cars. Taxis are currently responsible for 20 per cent of harmful NOx emissions and by 2020 they will be the biggest source of transport pollution in central London. The new package of measures being proposed by the Mayor and TfL to tackle taxi emissions and support drivers switching to new zero emission capable taxis includes:

An enhanced delicensing fund, providing up to £10,000 for drivers who trade in their older, dirtier vehicles earlyA £2.5 million fund to help drivers of newer Euro 5 taxis to convert to much cleaner LPG fuelA consultation early next year on a phased reduction in maximum taxi age limits for the dirtiest vehicles from 15 years to 12 years by 2022

These moves will help ensure the Mayor is on track for reducing taxi emissions by 65 per cent in 2025 to protect the health of Londoners. This work coincides with the delivery of 150 rapid-charge points and generous grants of £7,500 to help taxi drivers to switch to electric as soon as possible. There are now nearly 1,000 zero-emission-capable taxis in the fleet. The take-up of existing support to delicense dirty diesels has been low, with only around £450,000 of a multimillion pound fund used. TfL has restructured this funding to make it more attractive, with £18m of payments available for taxi drivers who delicense their vehicles. Top payments of £10,000 are available to the first 250 applicants, with tiered payment levels available at significantly higher levels than the current scheme. A limited number of LPG conversion grants will also be available to drivers of Euro 5 taxis to support the shift of those vehicles with the worst NOx emissions to cleaner vehicles. The new delicensing payments and LPG grants will be open to applicants in January 2019. TfL will consult on proposals to reduce the taxi age limit for the dirtiest vehicles to 12 years by 2022. The 15-year age limit would be strictly mandated in 2019, with a proposed reduction in the age limit each year until a 12 year age limit is reached. The age limit for Euro 6, LPG and ZEC taxis is proposed to remain at 15 years. The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan said: “Toxic air pollution in London is a major public health crisis that is stunting the lung development of our children and leads to thousands of premature deaths and increases the risk of asthma and dementia. We have to make tough decisions to protect the health and wellbeing of Londoners and tackle harmful emissions from the most polluting vehicles. We’ve prioritised cleaning up our bus fleet and the early introduction of the 24-hour Ultra Low Emission Zone in central London. Now we need private hire vehicles and taxis to play their part and help us clean up our filthy air.” Alex Williams, TfL’s Director of City Planning, said: “Bold action is required to tackle London’s public health crisis. The taxi and private hire trades are central to reducing the filthy fumes circulating in our city. This package of measures will contribute to fewer vehicles driving where pollution is most concentrated and encourage the switch from diesel to electric.” Tanya Braun, Head of Policy and Communications at Living Streets, said: “Given the exponential growth of private hire vehicles in London, TfL has taken an important step in removing the Congestion Charge exemption for PHVs across the city.” Dr Jonathan Grigg, Professor of Paediatric Respiratory and Environmental Medicine, Queen Mary University of London, said: “Unfortunately older black cabs produce very high levels of toxic emissions. It is therefore reasonable that the GLA removes this fleet from London’s roads as soon as possible. This is an effective way of protecting Londoner's health - especially the health of vulnerable young children.” Drew Kodjak, Executive Director of the International Council on Clean Transportation, said “The TRUE initiative has been working closely with London’s Mayor’s Office to investigate the real world emissions of vehicles driving on London’s roads. Our analysis has found that the policies that have been put in place to reduce harmful emissions from London’s bus fleet have resulted in significant decreases over the past five years. Over the same time period emissions from London’s black taxi cab fleet have been on the rise. We commend Mayor Khan and his staff for taking action to address harmful emissions from taxi cabs in the city.”

December 19, 2018 at 10:53AM https://ift.tt/2ufVjKI Perry Richardson THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT