There’s been a spike in the number of Bedford taxis which are being vandalised and broken into. This is happening particularly in Queen’s Park and has spurred Bedford MP, Mohammad Yasin, to demand answers from Bedfordshire Police's Chief Constable Trevor Rodenhurst.

In a letter posted on Mr Yasin’s Facebook page, he said: “As a former taxi driver, I know all too well the unnecessary stress these drivers will now be under. When your vehicle is also your living, break-ins such as this are simply unaffordable.

“It is unclear whether these are the actions of one individual, or the actions of a group, but I find the specific targeting of local taxis for presumably the fare money that may be inside especially callous.

“Whilst I appreciate that the police will be unable to share any confidential intelligence or information relating to an ongoing case, I would be grateful for your reassurance that these break-ins are being taken seriously and duly investigated.”

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A Glasgow man with a history of drink-driving offences, including two driving bans, has been denied a private hire car licence by city licensing chiefs.

Police Scotland presented evidence to the licensing committee, outlining a series of offences committed by Marcin Myslicki.

These included a 15-month driving ban in 2013 for drink-driving, a three-year ban in 2018 for failing to provide a breath sample, and subsequent charges of driving while disqualified and without insurance.

Furthermore, the committee heard that Mr. Myslicki was convicted in 2017 of assaulting and abducting his pregnant wife.

He was sentenced to 150 hours of community service for the assault, which involved pushing, seizing, and striking his wife on the abdomen with his elbow.

Mr. Myslicki argued that these incidents were in the past and that he had "changed" since then, citing his marriage and the birth of his child.

Police Scotland strongly objected to the application, deeming Mr. Myslicki an unfit and proper person to hold a private hire licence.

The committee, considering the seriousness of the offences, ultimately denied his application.

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A Jersey lawyer who assaulted a taxi driver while intoxicated has been suspended from practising law in the island for three months.

David Steenson, who previously pleaded guilty to the assault charge in Jersey Magistrates' Court, was sentenced to 130 hours of community service and ordered to pay £2,419.55 in compensation.

The prosecution had previously stated that the taxi driver victim now fears for their safety while working due to the assault.

The Royal Court, in a separate proceeding, determined that Steenson had breached the Law Society of Jersey's Code of Conduct by bringing the profession into disrepute.

The three-month suspension is backdated to 14 November, when Steenson voluntarily withdrew from his legal practice.

"A written judgment from the Royal Court will be published in due course and no further comments will be made on the matter by the Law Society of Jersey or the Attorney General," a spokesperson stated.

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Cambridge City Council is set to introduce mandatory training for taxi drivers on safely loading and transporting wheelchair users. The move, welcomed by councillors and disability rights advocates, aims to improve accessibility and boost passenger confidence.

The training will be designed to address concerns raised by councillors such as Gerri Bird (Labour), who recounted instances of her wheelchair being improperly secured.

Cllr Bird emphasised the importance of recognising the diverse needs of wheelchair users, suggesting that involving wheelchair users in the training process would be highly beneficial.

"Every disability is different, and all wheelchair users are different as well," Cllr Bird stated at a recent licensing committee meeting.

"It would be good to see wheelchair users themselves involved in the training, to learn from the real experts," echoed Cllr Rosy Moore (Labour).

While the council supports this initiative, officers are still working out the implementation details, including the cost of training for drivers.

Other policy changes discussed at the meeting include mandatory daily safety checks for taxis, the continued display of operator signs on private hire vehicles, and the requirement for people to need a full driving licence for more than two years before applying to be a licensed taxi driver.

Cllr Tim Bick (Liberal Democrat) expressed support for these changes but raised concerns about the practicality of daily safety checks. He suggested a tiered approach with a more comprehensive weekly or monthly checklist for less frequent checks, such as tyre tread inspections.

"We don't want to end up with drivers taking a 'tick box approach' when completing the daily check list," Cllr Bick cautioned.

Cllr Russ McPherson (Labour) agreed, emphasising the importance of avoiding overly burdensome requirements that could lead to non-compliance.

Council officers have agreed to consider these suggestions and refine the proposed safety check procedures.

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Two drivers operating for Ride Taxis in the Burnley, Pendle, and Ribble Valley area have sounded the alarm over a surge in stone-throwing attacks by youths. They fear the reckless behaviour could lead to a serious accident, potentially endangering drivers, passengers, and other road users.

"I have worked in the Burnley and Nelson area for many years, but I've never known anything like this," said one driver, who requested anonymity.

"These are children throwing objects at us, do they not realise the danger they could cause?"

The driver recounted multiple incidents where stones had chipped his windshield. "If my windscreen was smashed completely, that would put the vehicle out of action for days, impacting my livelihood," he stressed.

Common hotspots for these attacks include Coal Clough Lane and St Matthew Street in Burnley, Padiham town center, and the Tesco in Padiham.

A second driver echoed the concerns, highlighting Padiham as a particular area of concern. "It's frightening for us as drivers and for passengers," he said. "Reporting these incidents to the police is rarely effective as it's almost impossible to identify the culprits."

He urged parents to educate their children about the dangers of such actions: "What is in their minds that they think this is acceptable to do this? They could cause serious injury to someone."

This alarming trend aligns with a previous report in the Burnley Express where taxi driver Danish Ali expressed similar fears after his car was targeted with stones on three separate occasions.

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