A taxi driver was reportedly assaulted by two men in Poole.
According to the Daily Echo, police investigating the assault are issuing an image of two men they would like to identify.
At around 2.15am on Saturday, March 16, 2024, a taxi driver dropped off two men in Seldown Lane.
The driver – aged in his 40s from Poole – noticed that the door to his vehicle was not shut properly and got out of his vehicle to close it.
As he approached the door, it was reported that he was assaulted. He sustained bruising and cuts during the incident.
Police Constable Robert Roaf of Dorset Police said: “I am continuing to carry out enquiries into this incident and am now issuing an image of two men I would like to speak to.
“If you have information about their identity, please contact Dorset Police.”
Anyone with information is asked to contact Dorset Police at www.dorset.police.uk/contact or by calling 101, quoting occurrence number 55240039573.
Source: https://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/24307094.image-appeal-following-assault-taxi-driver-poole/
Taxi passengers in North Yorkshire are facing having to pay five per cent more per mile in the face of appeals to increase and lower maximum permitted fares across the county.
North Yorkshire Council’s executive agreed to the daytime rates rise, extending night-time rates time to eight hours from 10pm and increasing the maximum call-out charge from £1 to £1.50 after hearing taxi drivers were divided over the rates which should be charged.
The Gazette & Herald reports that if the move is not contested, day-time taxis will be able to charge £4 for the first quarter mile and 20p for every extra quarter mile or 35 seconds of waiting time.
Ripon cabbie Richard Fieldman told the leading councillors the 70 drivers from Whitby to Harrogate he represented were opposed to the proposals.
He said: “What you see before you today is totally unacceptable for those that work nights and the unsocial Christmas period.
"The proposal gives no increase to those working these hours which less and less drivers are prepared to work these days.”
The meeting was told one of the proposed changes, to start higher rates from 10pm rather than 11pm, would have a minimal impact on night-time drivers.
He added: “It is ironic that officers recognise that drivers need rewarding for late-night unsocial hours with abusive, alcohol and drug-fuelled customers, yet are failing to provide them with the same increase as the day-time drivers.”
Mr Fieldman said the £1 per mile call-out charge had remained the same for many years and when combined with higher fuel costs had become “unviable in a vast rural county” to travel significant distances to pick up passengers who only wanted to go a few miles.
The meeting heard drivers were refusing to do these types of journey, leaving some passengers unable to get home.
In addition, areas such as Northallerton, Thirsk, Ripon and Skipton had serious shortages of drivers working unsocial hours and the proposals would ensure even less cover.
Ripon councillor Barbara Brodigan told the meeting recent changes in Barnsley, similar to the North Yorkshire proposals, had led to too few or no taxis being available during holiday periods and at night-time.
However, Councillor Kevin Foster, who represents Colburn, an area with amongst the highest levels of deprivation in the county, said he received a lot of complaints over the cost of taxi fares.
He said the public needed to be made aware taxis did not have to charge the maximum permitted fares.
Several executive members said they felt the proposals represented a reasonable compromise.
While the fare increase will be subject to consultation if anyone objects, managing our environment executive member, Councillor Greg White, said some people had called for the maximum charges to be lowered to make North Yorkshire more competitive with nearby areas.
He said a three-mile trip in Barnsley would cost £8.90, but in North Yorkshire it would be £14.98.
A report to the meeting showed while a 20-mile night-time journey in North Yorkshire would cost £68.67, in Bradford passengers would be charged £42.40, in Leeds and £49.45 in East Riding.
Cllr White said: “We are already more expensive than Bradford, Durham, East Riding, Lancaster, Leeds, Redcar and Cleveland and York. So I’m really keen that we don’t get to the situation where we do an injustice to the people who use the taxi service by making those taxis become unaffordable.”
Source: https://www.gazetteherald.co.uk/news/24306907.controversy-taxi-fare-rise-north-yorkshire/
A Coventry man has been charged with assaulting a taxi driver in the city.
The Coventry Observer reports that Artur Nowostawski, 40, was charged with wounding, attempted robbery and possession of an offensive weapon, after an attack on the driver.
Shortly after 9.30pm on Monday April 29, the cabbie had picked up a man at Coventry train station, before driving on towards Bennetts Road South.
Just before the end of the journey, the man attacked the driver, hitting him in the back and chest a number of times and demanding money before fleeing the scene.
The driver managed to escape, though he was left with arm and chest injuries.
Nowostawski is due before magistrates court in Coventry this morning, (Thursday 9 May) accused of violent assault and has been remanded in custody since his arrest on May, 6.
Source: https://coventryobserver.co.uk/news/coventry-news-coventry-man-charged-after-assaulting-taxi-driver/
New specialist cameras are being used by City of Wolverhampton Council in a bid to catch drivers committing a serious offence on the roads.
BirminghamLive reports that the state-of-the-art technology is being rolled out to detect so-called 'ghost plates'.
It follows concerns about an increase in use of these infra-red reflective number plates, sometimes also known as 3D or 4D plates, which aren't visible to speed, bus lane or low emission zone cameras.
Wolverhampton council is now among local authorities attempting to crackdown on the use of these plates. The crackdown comes after the reflective plates were seen on vehicles, the authority said.
A large operation was recently carried out around England, including in Wolverhampton and Birmingham city centres, as well as Manchester Airport, in which over 80 licensed taxis and private hire vehicles were checked for illegal plates, with one found to be using them.
The driver was issued with a £100 fine by police.
Council officers have now been handed the specialist cameras for use during patrols. During February and March, a further ten notices were issued for ghost plates.
It means anyone running the plates on their cars could escape detection from speed cameras and bus lane cameras and therefore be able to avoid fines.
Councillor Craig Collingswood, cabinet member for environment at Wolverhampton City Council, said: "Wolverhampton is leading the way as the first council investing in this state-of-the-art technology to deter and detect offenders.
"Bus lanes are essential for the public transport network to operate efficiently and speed cameras help to keep the public safe from speeding vehicles and reduce the likelihood of a crash.
"All motorists can expect to pay a fine if found to be using these illegal methods to avoid cameras and taxi drivers licensed by Wolverhampton may have their licence suspended or revoked."
Source: https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/black-country/council-officers-armed-new-specialist-29135691
A taxi passenger from Carlisle who made off without paying the fare was known to the driver because they had previously been in relationship.
According to the News & star, Lisa Nugent, 33, was also likely to be caught because she had booked the taxi in her own name and then asked to go to her home address, Carlisle’s Rickergate court heard.
She admitted making off without payment on April 2. She also pleaded guilty to a second charge of being drunk and disorderly on April 19.
The court heard that Nugent first got into trouble when she walked away from the taxi that had transported her without paying the £7 fare she had incurred.
The second offence related to her behaviour in Stephenson Road, Carlisle.
Prosecutor Graeme Tindall police were called because the defendant had been in a “drunk and volatile state.”
Andrew Gurney, defending, described Nugent as a “vulnerable adult,” who was dealing with a number of mental health disorders, including bipolar and split personality disorder.
“She uses substances to deal with her difficulties,” said the lawyer.
“She had enjoyed a long period of stability from drugs. It’s unfortunate that there has been this blip. She accepts that she was excessively drunk and apologises for her behaviour.
“The taxi driver was known to her; they had previously been in a romantic relationship. The fare involved was for a low amount.”
The presiding magistrates said it was a shame that Nugent committed the two offences.
The defendant was given a £40 fine for each offence, with £85 costs and an order to pay the taxi driver involved £7 compensation.
Source: https://www.newsandstar.co.uk/news/24306415.carlisle-taxi-passenger-dodged-taxi-fare-cab-driven-ex/
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