Work has been carried out to prevent people parking in Chorley’s town centre taxi rank.
Shaz Malik, from NPHTA members Chorley Taxi Association, told the Lancashire Post that it’s one of the trades main issues, with the group getting “a dozen pictures a day” from cabbies showing private vehicles parked in the restricted areas of High Street.
He said members of the public have been confused over parking rules because of faded markings, and too many sign posts in the area are making the restrictions difficult to navigate.
He said: “People are parking there, not realising. They see an empty space and nip in, I’m sure they don’t want to take up a space for a taxi deliberately.
"I don’t want people to be fined, I just want them to be aware.”
Mr Malik has approached Lancashire County Council over the issue, which has now responded with refreshed signage in the area.
What does Lancashire County Council say?
Peter Bell, regulation and enforcement manager for Lancashire County Council, said: "We carry out regular enforcement in Chorley town centre, and will issue penalty notices to any vehicle parked in contravention of the restrictions, which are clearly signed.
"We have recently refreshed the markings highlighting the taxi rank on Chorley High Street to ensure it can be fully enforced following a request from the local taxi association.
"The ranks are there to ensure taxis have a designated space to wait, and customers can access them in an orderly way, so it's important that other people do not park in them."
Rail bosses have spent more than £300,000 on taxis after trains were cancelled since ScotRail was taken into public ownership less than two years ago.
The National reports that figures obtained using freedom of information legislation by the Scottish Liberal Democrats found that between April 2022, when ScotRail was taken into public ownership, and the end of September 2023, the total bill for replacement taxis was £331,061.03.
In June this year alone, the bill for taxis amounted to £40,547.73.
The single most expensive journey was a fare of £798.30 from Wick to Inverness, calling at all the usual rail stops in between, for an eight-seater taxi, with ScotRail insisting it has a “duty to provide alternative transport”.
The rail operator also spent £666.36 on a taxi from Glasgow Queen Street station to Fort William and back – taking passengers in both directions.
Transport Scotland said the LibDems' attack was "misplaced", highlighting that there had been fewer cancellations after the nationalisation of ScotRail.
Responding to the new figures, Scottish Liberal Democrats transport spokesperson Jill Reilly said the money used on taxis should instead be available “for updating trains, carriages and stations, giving hardworking commuters and rail users the quality service they need”.
She called on the Scottish Government to work with ScotRail to end its “reliance on expensive and inefficient” replacement transport when train services are cancelled at short notice.
Reilly said: “Ministers repeatedly stressed that nationalising ScotRail would improve accountability. If that’s the case then ministers need to explain why so much money is being wasted.
“The Scottish Government must work with ScotRail to cut down their reliance on expensive and inefficient replacement transport services and deliver the rail service that taxpayers and travellers pay for.”
However, Transport Scotland insisted the Liberal Democrats’ criticism was “misplaced”, adding there have been fewer services cancelled since ScotRail was nationalised.
A spokesperson said: “At a time when everyone in Scotland’s railway has been focused on ensuring the best festive service with more bank holiday trains than ever before, this attack is misplaced.
“Despite extreme weather events and strike action caused by the UK Government’s confrontational approach to industrial relations, cancellations remain low at around an annual average of 2.8% of all services. That’s fewer cancellations than the period immediately before public ownership.
“It is right that ScotRail makes every effort to get disrupted passengers to their destinations, whether that’s because of planned improvement works or unforeseen events.”
Source: https://www.thenational.scot/news/24018044.scotrail-spends-300k-taxis-passengers/
The roadworthiness of Swansea taxis/PHVs and drivers have been tested in a joint operation by South Wales Police and the council’s Taxi Licensing Division.
The operation, which took place on the evening of Friday 15 December, saw marked police vehicles patrolling Swansea city centre and taking taxis to an inspection point, where they were checked for defects.
Taxi drivers’ licences were also checked, alongside numerous other checks using police systems, conducted by both police and council staff.
During the operation, fourteen vehicles, including eleven taxis and three private hire vehicles, were subject to inspection.
Of these, three vehicles were immediately suspended from road use:
• One vehicle was suspended for a defective tyre, a defective rear light and an inoperable rear sliding door
• One vehicle was suspended for a defective brake light – this was fixed on-site
• One vehicle wads issued a tyre advisory
Advisories or warnings were also issued to three drivers, one of which was a licensed driver working without ID and not displaying two required badges.
Police officers carried out drink and drug drive checks in Colne Road, Burnley on New Year’s Eve.
The Lancashire Telegraph reorts that while the police said that 99 per cent of the drivers they stopped blew zero at the roadside, one driver did not.
A spokesperson for the police said: “Team 5 road police unit officers have been conducting drink/drug drive checks on Colne Road Burnley.
“99% blew zero but surprisingly a taxi driver provided a positive sample of 56 against the legal limit of 35 and was duly arrested."
The Bracknell Hackney Taxi Drivers Association is very sad to report the passing of our dear friend and colleague, Mr Kevin Moore.
Kevin sadly passed away on the 21st December 2023. He was born in Slough and moved to Bracknell in 2004 and became a Hackney driver. Kevin was very humble, respectful and someone who was great to work alongside.
In March, during the time of the pandemic, every business was affected badly. Bracknell Forest Council also implemented changes to our trade.
Kevin and many other drivers were very unhappy about this and the way the taxi trade was treated in lockdown. So, he decided to step forward and do something to help all of the drivers and made an official complaint to the local council.
Eventually, him and another colleague, Manoj, managed to arrange a meeting with Bracknell Council’s Licensing team, where the Bracknell Hackney Taxi Drivers Association was formed.
This organisation has been running in tandem with our local council for over 2 years now, with Kevin appointed as Vice-Chairman with Manoj as Hackney Taxi Chairman.
Whilst forming business cases, Kevin contacted Private Hire and Taxi Monthly Newspaper (PHTM) several times for information and suggestions, and they were always helpful and happy to offer any aid they could. We are very grateful for their help, as they are the reason for a lot of the positive change we have seen for our trade.
Kevin volunteered a lot of his time towards the Hackney Drivers’ association and all of the drivers believed in him and appreciated what he was doing for everyone.
Without the association Hackney Taxi drivers would be struggling to make a living and support their families, so we can't thank Kevin and Manoj enough and we are full of gratitude for the hard work Kevin put in to make it work.
Without Kevin, the excellent work and success in improving the relationship with Bracknell Forest Council would not have happened. Kevin's dedication to improving work conditions for taxi drivers and his contributions to the association are truly commendable.
Our thoughts are with Kevin’s family and may they find strength during this difficult time.
Kevin Moore will be dearly missed and may his soul rest in peace
An unlicensed taxi driver who picked up two vulnerable women in Aberdare has been ordered to pay nearly £1,500 in fines and costs.
Cleethorpes taxi drivers are breathing a sigh of relief after council enforcement officers cracked down on vehicles illegally parked in designated taxi ranks.
A Barry man has avoided jail after launching a drunken attack on a taxi driver who refused him entry to his vehicle.
Jersey’s taxi service is in crisis, with driver numbers plummeting by more than a quarter since 2014, a new report has revealed.
On Wednesday 27 July, more than 300 vulnerable youngsters were taken on an all-expenses paid trip to Southport.
Taxi drivers in the town will be able to charge passengers more following a decision by the borough council on 31 July.
A taxi driver has been sentenced to a community order after admitting causing the death of a pedestrian by driving at excessive speed.
A joint operation by council, police, and DVSA officials has seen three taxis taken off the road in Oldham due to safety concerns.
Taxi drivers licensed by Mid Sussex could soon be forced to accept card payments, following a surge in complaints about cash-only services.
Two men have avoided immediate jail time after a high-speed race left a taxi driver with serious injuries.
BYD, manufacturer of new energy vehicles and power batteries, has announced a multi-year strategic partnership with Uber, designed to bring 100,000 new BYD EVs onto the Uber platform across key global markets.
Ways of increasing the amount of wheelchair-accessible taxis across the city are set to be explored to make it easier for those who need one to get one.
Cumbrian taxi drivers are fighting back against proposed licensing changes they fear will cripple their livelihoods.
Bolton taxi drivers are urged to sign up for free safeguarding and disability awareness training before the deadline on October 31st, 2024.
A Conwy Council meeting on Monday revealed a critical failing that allowed a taxi driver whose license had been revoked to continue transporting children to school.
Worcester City Council is seeking public opinion on a proposal to make safeguarding training mandatory for taxi and private hire drivers.
A proposal to increase driver, vehicle and private hire operator licences was discussed on Friday 19 July 19 at Sheffield City Council’s waste and street scene committee.
Through this collaboration, FREENOW willl provide additional benefits giving drivers up to 25% off pay-as-you-go rates across the entire bp pulse electric charging network and discounted fuel at all UK bp branded sites.
Wakefield Licensing, working alongside West Yorks Police Roads Policing unit, NPT, Off-Road Bike Team, Police Intercept Team, DVLA & DVSA, held a Partnership Day of Action at Thornes Park.