Police appeal for help following Christmas Day taxi driver assault in Houghton on the Hill

via taxi-point http://bit.ly/2VhLk0Z

Detectives investigating a serious assault on the A47 in Houghton on the Hill during the early hours of Christmas Day are urging anyone who witnessed the incident to come forward.

A taxi driver was assaulted around 1am on Tuesday 25th December and sustained a serious injury to his eye. The incident took place outside the Rose and Crown Pub on Uppingham Road (A47). The 38-year-old victim remains in hospital and from enquiries detectives have made so far it’s believed a number of people were in the road at the time and may have witnessed the assault. The suspect has been described as a white man, 19 to 20-years-old, about 5ft 9ins tall, of skinny build with dark brown hair. DC Mike Archer is investigating the incident, he said: “We know there were a number of people out celebrating on Christmas Eve into the early hours of Christmas Day, we are sure the incident was witnessed by those in the area. “The victim was in his taxi and had just dropped off a fare when he was punched in the face. “If you witnessed the assault or have any information about the person responsible we would urge you to get in touch. Any information, no matter how insignificant it may seem, could help us identify the suspect.”

December 31, 2018 at 07:00AM http://bit.ly/2UVulRY Perry Richardson THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Latest private hire and taxi sexual assault figures released by TfL

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

Transport for London have released the latest private hire and sexual assualt figures for the London area.

The figures are pertaining to offences that were recorded by the police in 2017. Not all of the offences reported have resulted in a driver being charged. This could be for various reasons, including the driver not being traced and identified, insufficient evidence to charge a suspect, the Crown Prosecution Service deciding it is not in the public interest to prosecute, or the victim's reluctance to proceed with a prosecution.

Transport for London figures show that rape allegations have increased in the private hire sector by 13.3%, whilst allegations of other sexual offences have dropped by 4.6% on the previous year.

There have been no taxi related sexual offences reported in 2017.

Transport for Londonbreak down the figures by working with the Metropplitan Police Service and the City of London Police Service to provide information about the licence status and journey type for all drivers who have been charged with a Taxi and Private Hire journey-related sexual offence, recorded in the 2017 calendar year.

A driver will be charged when the MPS or CoLP has determined that there is sufficient evidence for the case to go before the Court, and the Crown Prosecution Service decides that there is a reasonable chance of a conviction and that it is in the public interest to charge the suspect with a sexual offence. Information about the location, time of offence and any details about the suspect involved is used by the MPS, CoLP and TfL for intelligence-led enforcement and investigation. Some reports of offences which have taken place are unbooked and the drivers can't be traced. The police are more likely to be able to trace and take action against a minicab driver, for example, when they are licensed and the journey is booked through a licensed operator as there will be a record of the booking and the driver.

There were 21 drivers charged for 24 offences. Three drivers were charged with more than one offence.

These figures relate to crimes recorded by the police in 2017 and verified against TfL's Taxi and Private Hire licensing database.

Of the 21 charged, 3 were chaged with rape, of which 1 was found not guilty, 1 was convicted and 1 is still awaiting a court hearing.

Of the 21 remaining charges listed as sex related offences, 8 were found not guilty, 8 were convicted and 5 are awaiting a court hearing.

Of 19 private hire drivers who were charged with one or more offences, that number is spread between 6 private hire operators. Havering Cars, Keen Cars, Goldline Cars, Melville Cars and Triple A Express, all had 1 driver on their platform charged with a sex related offence, leaving Uber with 14 drivers on their platform who were charged.

The drivers from Melville Cars and Triple A Express were both found guilty of an offence, as were 6 Uber drivers. 4 uber drivers along with drivers from Goldline, Havering and Keen Cars, werr found not guilty. There are 6 Uber drivers still awaiting trial.

Offences that are committed outside of London by London licensed drivers are investigated by the local police force for that area. Those offences are not included in TfLs figures.

December 30, 2018 at 12:26PM http://bit.ly/2UVulRY Steve Kenton THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

More than half a million potholes reported to councils in 2017

via taxi-point http://bit.ly/2CEvK8j

More than half a million potholes were reported by members of the public to local authorities in Britain for repair in 2017 – an increase of 44% on two years earlier, according to data obtained by the RAC. A freedom of information request* made to the 212 councils in England, Scotland and Wales responsible for roads found 512,270 potholes were reported last year to 161 authorities compared to 356,432 from 152 councils in 2015. But when extrapolating the numbers to take account of the likely reports from the authorities who were unable to provide the RAC with data, the total is probably nearer 674,229 in 2017**. The 2015 equivalent is 508,651 which represents a smaller increase of 33%. English authorities, not including London, saw the worst rise in the number of pothole reports between 2015 and 2017 with a 55% jump from 269,486 to 417,881. Wales experienced a lesser increase of 22% with reports going up from 9,519 to 11,638. However, when comparing last year with 2014 in Wales the difference was greater (40% increase) with only 8,287 potholes reported then. In Scotland there was only a slight rise of 2% from 2015 to 2017 (55,961 to 56,859), but a 52% increase from 2014 with 37,432 reports. Taking London on its own, there were 25,892 potholes reported last year in stark contrast to 2015 when there were just 21,466 – an uplift of 21%. From 2014 to 2017, however, there has been a 13% drop from 29,870 four years ago. When looking at the inclusive four-year period from 2014 to 2017, a total of 1,737,161 potholes were reported across Britain but, factoring in those authorities that did not provide data, the figure is more likely to be well closer to 2.4m (2,429,422) over the four years.

RAC head of roads policy Nicholas Lyes said:

“It is shocking to see the number of reported potholes in Britain has risen by nearly 50% in two years. Our own analysis of breakdown data shows the damage suffered by motorists is a constant source of frustration and expense, but the scale of the problem is obviously far greater than the numbers show. “Perhaps motorists are more inclined to report pothole defects than they were a few years ago, but we believe the sheer size of the increase is further proof the condition of our roads is worsening. With over half a million potholes reported in 2017 and a more accurate figure for all authorities, including those that didn’t provide data, likely to be in excess of 674,000, this is sadly just the tip of the iceberg as thousands will go unreported every year. “This means road users are then reliant on authorities finding these potholes in their regular inspections and taking action to fix them which in reality is probably less likely to happen. However, when road users report potholes the onus is on the authority concerned to fix them or risk suffering subsequent compensation claims as a result of not doing so. “For that reason, we urge everyone to report potholes so that motorists, motorcyclists, cyclists and other road users don’t suffer the consequences of poorly maintained road surfaces, whether that’s damage to their vehicles, motorbikes or bicycles, or worse still a collision.” The RAC’s most recent study of breakdown data for the RAC Pothole Index shows its patrols dealt with 14,220 damaged shock absorbers, broken suspension springs and distorted wheel breakdowns in the year to end of October 2018 which represents 1.5% of all call-outs. This was the second highest percentage ever recorded since the RAC started analysing this data in 2006, with the highest being 1.6% – a figure previously only seen in 2015 (Q3 & Q4) and 2017 (Q3 & Q4). The Pothole Index, which is the RAC’s long-term indicator of the health of the country’s roads, also shows that it is not an improving picture as the index remains considerably higher than it was in the third quarter of 2017. In fact, with the index standing at 2.63 this means motorists are now more than 2.5 times as likely to have a pothole breakdown than they were 12 years ago. The record high index figure was 3.5 in Q1 2010 when motorists were 3.5 times more likely to breakdown due hitting a pothole than they were in 2006. Nicholas Lyes added: “Drivers questioned for the RAC Report on Motoring listed the condition and maintenance of local roads as their top motoring concern with many saying the standard of roads is not good enough. They also think conditions have worsened in the last year. Our own data shows that since the third quarter of 2017 vehicle damage from potholes remained constant and there has been no significant improvement over the past 12 months. “This is no doubt why the Asphalt Industry Alliance estimates the one-off investment required to return local roads in England and Wales to a fit-for-purpose standard to be over £9.3bn. “In order to bring our local roads up to an acceptable and safer condition, they require long-term ring-fenced funding which the Treasury could do if they were prepared to set aside a fraction of the revenues that motorists pay through fuel duty.”

December 30, 2018 at 11:59AM http://bit.ly/2UVulRY Perry Richardson THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

GMB call on Mayor for action over deaths and injuries caused by London buses

via taxi-point http://bit.ly/2Rj4t3C

GMB have called on Mayor of London for decisive action on "chilling" numbers killed and injured by outsourced London bus operators after 6,725 cases of death/injury in 12 months to end June 2018.

GMB have called for decisive action to secure an end to the current position where 8 were killed and 719 very seriously injured (an average of 2 per day) in safety incidents involving the fleet of buses operated for the Mayor of London in the 12 months to between July 2017 and June 2018. A new study by GMB London of official figures published quarterly by Transport for London since 2014 has found that the Borough of Westminster topped the London league with 411 total cases including 37 serious injuries and 70 minor injuries requiring hospital attention. These cases involved people being killed and injured by buses operated by outsourced operators for TfL in the year to end June 2018. Next in the league was Southwark, which had a total of 334 cases including 37 serious injuries and 42 minor injuries; Lewisham had a total of 313 cases including 29 serious injuries and 43 minor; Croydon had 303 cases, including 34 serious and 29 minor; Lambeth had 292 cases, 43 serious and 28 minor; and Haringey had 287 cases, 51 serious and 23 minor. The same figures show that for London as a whole 8 people were killed and 719 seriously injured during these 12 months.

GMB London Region is campaigning for the safe operation of TfL buses in London. This follows a resolution on bus safety and the public carried at the GMB Congress earlier this year. Sadiq Khan is aware of the serious problem and said that figures were "chilling". Extract from the letter from Sadiq Khan to #LondonBusWatch Bus Safety Campaign dated 10 December 2018 includes: “I agree with you that the statistics included in Michael Liebreich’s report are chilling, and I can assure you that I am not complacent on this issue. It is absolutely unacceptable for anyone to be killed or seriously injured on our transport network. We have an extremely long way to go to reach the targets I have set, and we will need a cultural shift to get there. My Vision Zero Action Plan shows how TfL and other organisations in London are starting to create this shift, and I am determined to keep driving this until we see the rapid improvement that is so badly needed.”

Warren Kenny, GMB Regional Secretary said: “We know that Sadiq Khan considers that the statistics on the numbers killed and injured are ‘chilling’. “So what is needed is decisive action from the top to change the culture at Transport for London to make the safe operation of buses by the outsourced private for-profit operators the top priority. “It's not the top priority under the current contracts. Punctuality has the highest priority and profit margins are linked to punctuality records. This has to change. “The safe operation of buses by the outsourced operators must be made TfL's top priority. We have to see an end to the current position where 8 people were killed and 719 very seriously injured by the fleet of buses operated for the Mayor of London in the 12 months to end June 2018. “GMB know that safety culture change in organisations has to come from the very top. Sadiq Khan has to get a grip on the problem he inherited from the past managers who designed the outsourced killing machine that TFL presides over. Nothing less than fundamental reform of the Bus System's contract performance incentives to include safety is acceptable." Tom Kearney, Founder of #LondonBusWatch and TfL Bus Crash Survivor said: “This month marks the ninth anniversary of when an Arriva Route 73 Bendy Bus contracted by TfL struck the back of my head and my torso while I was at the edge of a crowded Oxford Street pedestrian crossing. Because TfL, Arriva and the Police never bothered to contact me after I woke up from a Glasgow Coma Scale 3 coma in January 2010, I was compelled to investigate why I nearly died on 18 December 2009 all on my own. “I have campaigned over these years for a safer public bus system that doesn't produce serious injuries like mine as it currently does 2 times per day. “Safe operation of buses require drivers rested and with a safe system of work and well-maintained vehicles, all items clearly spelled out in the London Bus Drivers’ ‘Bill of Rights’ which was presented to his representative by protesting TfL Bus Drivers on 14 September 2017. “London Bus Drivers' ‘Bill of Rights’: 1. The Right to a safe work schedule without any forced overtime or loss of pay 2. The Right to a decent and proper rest break in the working day 3. The Right to drive a safe and well-maintained vehicle 4. The Right to clean, serviced toilet and rest facilities on all bus routes 5. The Right to report safety concerns without fear of retribution from TfL or employers 6. The Right, when seriously ill and covered by a doctor's note, to not be harassed into coming into work until fit to do so 7. The Right to relevant and timely safety training 8. The Right to drive without being forced to answer radio messages and texts from Controllers whilst in motion 9. The Right to have all company rules in writing and clearly displayed 10. The Right to be treated with dignity and respect by our employers, TfL and the public. “Sadiq Khan has resisted accepting this ‘Bill of Rights’ and, as TfL Chair, he needs to show some leadership and see the ‘Bill of Rights’ adopted by TfL’s contracted Bus Companies and its implementation closely monitored by TfL.”

December 30, 2018 at 07:12AM http://bit.ly/2UVulRY Perry Richardson THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

The Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity highlights the work of the Taxi Charity

via taxi-point http://bit.ly/2QWw4IC

Wonderful video about the the Taxi Charity - its veterans and volunteer drivers - produced by the Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity.

December 29, 2018 at 07:17PM http://bit.ly/2UVulRY Taxi Charity THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Drug courier Taxi driver jailed after being caught with £35,000 worth of cannabis in his vehicle

via taxi-point http://bit.ly/2Q7DIKQ

A taxi driver who was caught with cannabis with a street value of £35,000 in his vehicle has been jailed for a year after pleading guilty on the basis his role was the courier. Glasgow police had been monitoring the moves of 48-year-old taxi driver john Thomson and swooped on his vehicle after they watched him go into a house in Glasgow’s Parkhead, empty handed, and then return back with a bag. Thomson pleaded guilty at the city’s sheriff court and was jailed for 12 months by Sheriff Norman Ritchie QC. The court heard how a police surveillance team watched Thomson enter a property at around 5:50pm on February 14 empty handed. Two minutes later he was seen leaving the property in possession of a large bag. The bag was placed into the boot of the vehicle before he drove away. Thomson was then followed by the police who eventually detained him at an Asda petrol station about 25 minutes later. He was taken to a nearby police office where the police searched his vehicle and found six vacuum bags of cannabis each weighing 4.5kgs. As reported by the Clydebank Post, if the drugs were sold wholesale, they would be worth around £15,000, but if split into “street deals”, they could reach up to £35,000. £985 in cash was also found on Mr Thomson which he couldn’t account for. Procurator fiscal depute Lynne Reilly said: “as he was within his taxi, enquiries were carried out in that regard.” Thomson’s last job was at around 12:30pm and said he wasn’t working at the time of his offence. Thomson was interviewed, where he made no comment before being cautioned and charged.

(Image credit:Flickr)

December 29, 2018 at 06:04PM http://bit.ly/2UVulRY Michael Murphy THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Police hunt Shoreham cabbie attacker

via taxi-point http://bit.ly/2QXY91U

Police are appealing for help in apprehending an attacker who assaulted a taxi driver.

The assault took place at approximately 12.30am on Sunday, December 9, in Clarendon Road, and left the driver with facial injuries and bruising to his body.

The driver was subsequently taken to hospital and later discharged.

Police are keen to talk to anyvody in the area who may have seen or heard the assault.

A Police spokesman has said that a 28-year-old man from Shoreham was arrested on suspicion of racially or religiously aggravated assault occasioning actual bodily harm and racially or religiously aggravated criminal damage, along with a 25-year-old woman, also from Shoreham, who was arrested on suspicion of wounding or inflicting grievous bodily harm without intent, police said.

Both have been releases whilst the investigation into the attack continues.

Police have asked that If you saw what happened or have any information, to please get in touch either online or by calling 101 quoting serial 32 of 09/12.”

December 28, 2018 at 11:40PM http://bit.ly/2UVulRY Steve Kenton THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Uber and Lyft sued by Detroit woman

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

A woman is suing both Uber and Lyft after being injured in a high speed collision.

54 year old Sheila Hawkins, from Detroit, Michigan, was a passenger in a vehicle on the Lyft platform, on her way to a chiropractic appointment, when Ms Hawkins alleges that the driver became distracted by the Uber and Lyft apps on his phone.

It is alleged that as a result of the distraction from the apps, which send job notifocations to the drivers phone, he ploughed into the back of a stationary tractor-trailer at approximately 70 mph.

The Detroit Free Press reported that the accident, which occured on October 17 2017, left both the driver and passenger with critical injuries.

According to MsHawkins attorney, Jim Rasor, she suffered life altering injuries, including traumatic brain injuries as well as spinal injuries that have left her unable to work, and needing assistance in her home.

Ome of the factors highlighted in the Hawkins' lawsuit is that both Lyft and Uber should know that it is distracting to send notifications to drivers who are driving or in transit.

Ms Hawkins legal team are going after Lyft's $1-million third-party liability insurance policy, which covers drivers who are using the platform. A similar, smaller policy also covers Uber drivers who are in pickup mode on the platform. Both companies could be sued for millions of dollars more in this case, which highlights the dangers of the notification system on both platforms.

December 29, 2018 at 12:25AM http://bit.ly/2UVulRY Steve Kenton THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Petition to have the licence of Hate Rant taxi driver revoked hits over a thousand signatures

via taxi-point http://bit.ly/2EQz1Da

A petition has been started to have the licence of a Preston taxi driver to be revoked after a video went rival showing him giving a hate-filled rant against Christians. Zaheer Hussain, 41, was arrested and released by Preston Police pending further investigations and now more than 1,000 people have called for him to have his hackney carriage licence revoked. The petition was started by 25-year-old Daniel Allen after he watched the video which went viral on social media and has said that he believes the video shows Hussain threatening to rape people who converted from Islam to Christianity. He also believes that the nature of the content shows an extreme conflict of interest given the nature of Hussain’s job as a taxi driver.

Mr Hussain has since apologised for his rant. According to Blog Preston, a Taxi and Miscellaneous Committee is due to meet on Wednesday 9 January where a decision could be made to call Mr Hussain before the panel to explain his outburst to councillors if they choose to strip him of his licence.

The petition details can be found @ Change org

December 28, 2018 at 07:18PM http://bit.ly/2UVulRY Michael Murphy THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Lisson Grove mob: Another cabbie attacked

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

Another day, another taxi driver attacked by the gang dubbed "The Lisson Grove Mob."

This time a female taxi driver was attacked in thebearly hours of Christmas Eve morning.

Linda Morris was flagged down by a single individual at approximately 5am on December 24 near the junction of Dorset Square and Gloucester Place and was asked to go to Edgware Road.

Four youths then appeared from nowhere and jumped into the taxi. It was only then that Linda realised that they were part of "The Lisson Grove Mob."

She then asked them to get out, saying she had just accepted an account job on her app when they then turned on her and started abusing her and attacking the inside of the cab.

Linda then drove to a well lit part of the area, Park Road by Rossmore Road, and sounded her horn and flashed her headlights toward another cab driver, who stopped to assist her.

They then jumped out and started attacking the outside of her cab, with one of them trying to get her to open the front door by claiming to have dropped money in the front.

The youths then eventually made their escape, running off down Rossmore Road.

Linda was left shaken but unhurt, the taxi sustained internal damage to the credit card facility.

The police were called but surprisingly, they did not attend, although a report has been made.

The attack has mirrored other attacks in the same area over the last twelve months and taxi drivers have been warned to be on their guard.

December 28, 2018 at 02:02AM http://bit.ly/2UVulRY Steve Kenton THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Hustler races against London cabbie across the capital and wins: can you work out the hustle!?

via taxi-point http://bit.ly/2GKH9I5

DCODE by Discovery recorded ultra competitive hustler Alexis Conrad race against a London cabbie on his own turf.

No maps, just a straight race from A to B. Watch what happens and see if you can DCODE the sneaky plan Alexis Conran has to beat the experienced taxi driver!

December 28, 2018 at 09:53AM http://bit.ly/2UVulRY THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Dashcam footage reveals the terrifying moment a cabbie is robbed at knifepoint by his passenger

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

In-car CCTV footage shows the moment a cab driver is held up and robbed at knifepoint by his passenger.

The footage shows the driver pulling up at the desired destination of his passenger during a late night shift.

Once the vehicle is stationery, the passenger, who is sitting directly behind the driver, reaches around the drivers seat and holds a large blade to the driver’s throat.

The terrifying moment caught on the vehicle's dashcam highlights the very real dangers taxi and private hire drivers face on a daily basis.

The driver appears to attempt to create distance between the blade and his throat before his attacker demands him to hands over all his money.

The attacker then exits the cab and runs out of shot, leaving the driver shaken.

Although not confirmed yet, the incident appears to of taken place in Dublin, Ireland.

(Video credit: YouTube)

December 28, 2018 at 08:59AM http://bit.ly/2UVulRY Michael Murphy THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Heartfelt plea to find Black Taxi driver who saved a young woman who was grabbed by a man

via taxi-point http://bit.ly/2BJBg7X

The search is on for a hero taxi driver who saved a woman from being seriously assaulted by a man on Brighton beach. The black taxi driver leaped from his cab when he saw the woman being grabbed by the man during the early hours of Saturday morning. The attacker fled down the beach being chased by the cabbie hero who went back to comfort the victim. The mother of the victim has made a heartfelt plea on Facebook to find the man who “possibly saved” her daughter’s life.She said: “His actions restore my faith in our society. “Not all heroes wear capes, some drive taxis.” As reported by the Argus, the search is on to find the man, who is said to be in his fifties, so he can be thanked for his actions in person.The victim’s mother said: “He had granddaughters my daughter’s age. “This hero got out of his car and went to my daughter’s rescue. “I would like to find this taxi driver and thank him in person.”

There are currently no reports of any arrests.

December 27, 2018 at 04:22PM http://bit.ly/2UVulRY Michael Murphy THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

North East Lincolnshire taxi and private hire drivers urged to keep vehicles in peak condition following spot checks

via taxi-point http://bit.ly/2EQ8zJG

Licensing officers from North East Lincolnshire Council carried out a series of late-night checks on taxi drivers in the local area. The inspections came ahead of the winter weather and the festive period. Council officers, working with officers from Humberside Police, undertook 45 random spot check inspections on licensed private hire and hackney carriage vehicles. The inspections are frequently carried out to check the state of the vehicle, that clear signage is in place and that the driver has their ID badge. During the course of the December checks, the following issues were found:

Front and rear indicators were found not to be working on one vehicle. The Police issued a defect notice and the vehicle was immediately suspended from use.ABS light was on constantly during an inspection. The Police issued a vehicle defect notice.One driver was found to be without his ID badge.One driver was given advice about wearing a seat belt.One driver was given advice on sticking to the speed limit.Six vehicles were found to be unclean.Eight drivers received advice regarding tyres that were close to the legal limit.Eight vehicles were found to have minor defects with their lights.One driver was found without a tariff card.One vehicle had slight damage to it. Advice was issued to the driver on getting it fixed.

Councillor David Bolton, portfolio holder for licensing, said: “These checks are a routine piece of work for our licensing officers, working in partnership with Humberside Police. “We are now approaching the Christmas party season, and lots of people will be out enjoying themselves, expecting to climb into a taxi at the end of the night. “The last thing we want is for any of those taxi’s to be in an unsafe condition, putting people’s lives at risk. We urge taxi drivers in our borough to stick to the rules and ensure that their vehicles are in peak condition at all times. “If drivers aren’t sure what they should be doing, they can contact the Council’s licensing team for more information.”

December 27, 2018 at 03:57PM http://bit.ly/2UVulRY Perry Richardson THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Addison Lee Drivers file for collective bargaining in Luton as firm fails to voluntarily respond

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

The Independent Workers Union of Great Britain (IWGB) is filing an application with the Central Arbitration Committee to set up a Collective Bargaining Unit for Addison Lee drivers in Luton, after the company failed to respond to a request for voluntary recognition.

If won, the collective bargaining agreement will be one of the first in the so called “gig economy” and give the company an obligation to negotiate with drivers over worsening pay and conditions. The application comes amid a dispute over pay and conditions for the drivers. Addison Lee recently cut the drivers’ pay by increasing their share of commission from 30% to 35% and increasing the weekly rent for their vehicles from £190 to £210.

As a result, the IWGB claim drivers now work 70-hour weeks with a take-home average of little more than £5 per hour. They also say that drivers are also ordered by managers to take Addison Lee’s cars for repairs and servicing on their own time for no pay. The United Private Hire Drivers (UPHD) branch of the IWGB will protest against Addison Lee to emphasises the need for Collective Bargaining at the roundabout opposite the IBIS Hotel on Airport Way at 9am. Drivers will demand that the company reduce commission to 20%, reverse the weekly rent for vehicles back to £190 and that Addison Lee respect their worker rights in law. The protest means added pressure for Addison Lee, who were judged by the Employment Appeal Tribunal as unlawfully denying drivers basic employment rights, such as the minimum wage, holiday pay and other protections. Drivers in Luton are particularly attuned to the lack of protections and complain of a bullying culture within Addison Lee, where managers take advantage by threatening to remove drivers from the app as an intimidation technique. Two Members of Parliament, Gavin Shuker MP and Frank Field MP, have written to Addison Lee requesting that they work with the drivers to resolve these issues. The protest also seeks to pressure Luton council, with drivers demanding that the council meet its own standards. The council made a commitment for all Luton Airport workers to be paid the Living Wage of £8.75 per hour last year but also encouraged Luton’s minicab drivers to join Addison Lee after the company reportedly paid £2 million for exclusive rights to service Luton Airport for 5 years. Sohail Murtaza, member of the Luton Committee of UPHD branch, said:“Addison Lee management have been completely indifferent to the suffering of us drivers working at Luton Airport. We have been left with no option but to take to streets and protest and to demand trade union recognition and collective bargaining rights. We also call on Luton Borough Council and Luton Airport to step in and take action to end this brutal exploitation.” The IWGB is the leading trade union for workers in the so-called “gig economy”, with ongoing cases against Uber and Deliveroo.

December 27, 2018 at 08:34AM http://bit.ly/2UVulRY Perry Richardson THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

City Hall fear 16% rise in minicab fares will hit Londoners’ pockets hard

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

Plans to remove the congestion charge exemption for private hire vehicles are pointless according to the London Assembly, which has called on the Mayor to rethink his plans.

Private hire vehicles are currently exempted from paying the £11.50 daily charge.

The London Assembly supports the congestion charge exemption for private hire vehicles. Tony Arbour AM, Chairman of the London Assembly said: “This policy would fail significantly to reduce congestion. The Mayor’s own figures show that the number of PHVs in the Congestion Charge Zone would fall by only 600 a day, or 1 percent. “Congestion is an issue that clearly needs to be addressed – but this is not the way to go about it. The Mayor should come forward with new and innovative proposals to tackle this problem. “The data shows that operators would have to increase their charges by up to 16 percent – hitting Londoners’ pockets. The charge will also greatly impact the smaller operators, and this will need to be addressed. “This policy is a misguided way for the Mayor to raise some of the money he needs to rescue TfL from its dire financial straits. Talk of congestion and pollution is merely an excuse for this quite cynical move.”

December 26, 2018 at 08:27PM http://bit.ly/2UVulRY Perry Richardson THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Passenger arrested and fined for bilking a taxi driver over three years ago is yet to pay £40 fare

via taxi-point http://bit.ly/2VcixL9

A bilked taxi fare, unpaid after three and a half years, came back to bite the passenger as the court seeks payment. Ashleigh Holmes was arrested on a warrant and forced to spend a night in police cells following the £40 bilking back in 2015. Blackburn magistrates heard Holmes, now aged 22, and two other female passengers got a taxi from Manchester to Blackburn. A £20 deposit was paid to the driver, however on arrival at the destination the passengers went into a house and failed to answer the door to the driver. The female passengers also denied access into the house when police arrived and they eventually had to force entry. The prosecution, Catherine Allan, told the court the passengers had been given a police caution on the condition they attended a womens' centre for three sessions and paid the driver £40 compensation plus the earnings he lost on the night. Gareth Price who was defending the girls at court said his client had attended the centre but had not paid the money back to the bilked driver yet. Mr Price said: "She was aware of it and rang the court to clarify the situation and was told they had no record of her owing anything," "That all happened more than three years ago and I would like the opportunity to make representations to the Crown Prosecution Service as to whether it is in the public interest to proceed with this matter." The defendants representation said Ms Holmes was aware the £40 was payable and she would within 14 days. Holmes, 22, of Hillside Walk, Blackburn, was remanded on bail until January 15 so Mr Price can make representations.

December 26, 2018 at 03:58PM http://bit.ly/2UVulRY Perry Richardson THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

A selection of bizarre, bonkers and completely useless facts about the taxi industry that you may never have known

via taxi-point http://bit.ly/2EL3Da5

Yep, it's that time of year again folks, the day where the kids get more enjoyment from playing with the cardboard box that their hideously expensive present came in, the day where you spend 20 minutes trying to fish Aunt Mauds dentures out of the pickled onion jar, the day when grandad spikes the punch with methylated spirit, just to give it that extra kick, and the day where random family punch-ups ensue, whilst dad is identifying burial grounds for the in-laws, and mum is plotting murder with the Morphy Richards electric kitchen knife.

So, to divert your attention away from the frivolity and festive fun, heres a few taxi related facts to help you sleep.

The word "Taxi" was originally an abbreviation of ‘taximeter," which was the name of the device indicating the fare due. The word "Taximeter" is a variant of the German word "taxameter," which was itself a derivative of the German word "Taxanom." The base word of this linguistic mess is in fact the word "Taxe," which unsurprisingly is also the German word for charge. The word Taxameter was entered into language in 1894; taxicab and taxi followed in 1907. Vorshpung durch blimey, trust the Germans to get in there first.

Parisian taxis were, believe it or not, equipped with the first meters beginning on 9 March 1898. They were originally called taxamètres, then renamed taximètres on 17 October 1904. First the Germans and now the French get in there ahead of the English, no wonder a Brexit referendum was called.

Now here's one for those that think that the red blotch on young Kylies neck is just a love bite and shes ok to travel in a taxi.....BEWARE.....Under the Public Health Act 1984, people with the plague may not travel in taxis or other public conveyances. So if you think that the poor young lady may have a touch of the bubonic plague, make her spin round three times and then get her to stand on one leg whilst singing "ring-a-ring-a-roses backwards before letting her into the taxi. If she fails that test it may be wise to call for medical attention.....and a face mask.

It is believed that lest than two per-cent of the licensed London taxi industry is made up of women.....No pithy remark from me, my wife has hold of the electric carving knife, and she is highly surgical with it.

Amazingly, it is in fact illegal to shout “Taxi!” to hail a taxi. The reasoning behind this is the fact that it may distract the driver. It is however absolutely fine and dandy to have eight mobile phones and three tablets attached to the dashboard, whilst transporting a parakeet, a squirrel and an alsation in the front of the vehicle and having Elton John's "Rocket Man" blaring out at 186 decibels on the radio, because none of that is distracting in any way.

It is believed, according to a survey, that taxi-drivers have the tenth most dangerous job in the US. It is alleged that number one in the list of most dangerous professions in the U.S, is being employed as a crash test dummy for autonomous vehicle developers, (before anybody plans to sue me, that is in fact completely untrue and is in fact satire and of course, autonomous vehicles are completely safe.)

The first London taxi licenses were issued in 1639 to the Corporation of Coachmen. Then followed Hackney carriages, which were the first horse-drawn carriages for hire, these were first issued with a license in 1662. Hackney carriages then became Hansom Cabs in 1834. The first motorised taxis were introduced to London in 1908. As of 2019 the taxi industry will be reverting back to the horse and carriage, which will see speeds increase across London from 4mph at any given point during the day to around 8mph. In keeping with the governments environmentally friendly initiative, all cabbies will be required to carry a paper bag attached to the horses rear end so that manure can be caught and reused to grow tomatoes. This will be brought in on the same day as the word "gullible" is removed from the dictionary.

By law, taxis had to be tall enough for a passenger to be able to sit whilst wearing a bowler hat. Of course nowadays, the taxi only has to be tall enough to accomodate somebody wearing a hoodie, so expect the Smart car to be the next cab available on the market. Until fairly recently, taxis were required to carry a bale of hay in the boot. Nowadays with the proliferation of healthy living, cabbies are required to carry a tub of muesli and some freshly knitted yoghurt. As every cab driver knows, there is only one thing worse than a customer with a bucketful of Cinzano down their neck and an olive perched on their head......and that is the overwhelming desire to take a pee. Here is an interesting, but somewhat confused fact. It has been interpreted that the Town Police Clauses Act of 1847 permits one to urinate on a London taxi’s left rear wheel provided that the driver’s right hand is touching the cab. Now how you even attempt to do this if you are a female is beyond me, but suffice to say if you are contortionist then it may help, it also probably explains why less than two pwr-cent of Londons taxi industry are female. The Law Commission however, does poo-poo this interpretation, but debate of the legality of this act still ensues.

So there you have it folks, if the relatives, the presents, the food, the alcohol and the constant bickering havent sent you to sleep, then these 10 facts are guaranteed to see you slip into a coma.

Anyway, i'm off for a sweet sherry with my friend Ebeneezer, we have some misery to spread this festive season and misery loves company....BAHHHH HUMBUG

Merry Christmas!

December 25, 2018 at 09:18AM http://bit.ly/2UVulRY Steve Kenton THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Unhappy Derby cabbies petition to go back to black

via taxi-point http://bit.ly/2ENqz8v

Fed-up cabbies in Derby have started a "back to black" campaign, challenging a 2001 Derby City Council edict which forced all taxis to be sprayed bright yellow so that they could be more identifiable to the general public as well as those with a visual impairment.

The Derby Area Taxi Association (DATA) have stated that since black is the prime colour of all taxis that are produced and purchased, that is the colour that they should remain.

It is believed that the majority of DATA members are supportive of the campaign, and the matter has been raised over the last year with council officials. DATA have been willibg to make concessions toward the council by suggesting that the bonnet alone be sprayed yellow.

The Derbyshire Telegraph reported that it can cost around £1,000 to change the colour of a taxi, and can also adversely affect the resale value of the vehicle. This has been described as an unwarranted financial burden on drivers.

Javed Akhtar, vice-chairman of DATA, has also pointed out that the colour change may invalidate the manufacturers warranty as well as interfere with the integrity of the vehicles seals. It has also been remarked upon that it could also be in contravention of the regulators code.

As of19th December, 112 drivers had signed the petition.

It is believed that Derby City Council are reviewing the taxi fleet as a whole, which includes looking at the vehicle colour, costs atrributed to it and other factors which have been submitted by DATA.

December 24, 2018 at 01:08PM http://bit.ly/2UVulRY Steve Kenton THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT

Police appeal: Driver's vehicle robbed at knifepoint by three passengers in Essex

via taxi-point http://bit.ly/2EN5WZt

Essex police are appealing for anyone with information in relation to an armed robbery that took place in Loughton on Saturday December 22 at around 11:30pm. Police have said that a taxi driver (possibly a private hire driver) picked up three men in the Berecroft area of Harlow and took them to Oakwood Hill, Loughton. On arrival to their destination, the men used a knife to threaten the driver. They forced him out of his vehicle, a grey Renault Megane, which they then drove off in. The incident was first reported in the Essex Live. If you saw or heard of anything in relation to the theft you are asked to call 101 quoting the crime reference number /18. You can also call Crimestoppers anonymously on .

December 24, 2018 at 01:03PM http://bit.ly/2UVulRY Michael Murphy THESE POSTS ARE NOT OUR ENDORSEMENT