An Uber driver was subjected to racial abuse before a passenger stole his car for a short distance in the early hours of the morning.

The incident occurred around 1:17 am on 4 October, when the driver picked up four passengers - three men and a woman - from Guy's Thatched Hamlet pub in Bilsborrow, near Preston

The Uber was headed towards Preston on the A6 when the driver was forced to stop shortly after departure due to the passengers' racial abuse.

Following the altercation, the driver ejected the passengers from the vehicle. However one of the passengers climbed behind the wheel and drove the car for approximately 10 meters before coming to a halt.

"We are appealing to the public to help identify the man in the image," said a Lancashire Police spokesperson. "He is believed to be involved in the incident where an Uber driver was racially abused and his vehicle was briefly stolen."

Anyone with information is urged to contact Lancashire Police at 101, quoting log 0129 of October 4th, 2024, or by emailing 6399@lancashire.police.uk.

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New taxi and private hire licensing policy being considered by Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council includes a timescale for a transition to zero-emission vehicles over the next ten years.

Changes would include moving away from an age-based vehicle licensing policy to one based on emissions and engine type.

The policy will be sent out for a 12-week consultation with the taxi trade and other stakeholders, before being returned to the council for final approval.

“Currently, we have a policy that says that all vehicles have to be less than seven years old when they’re first licensed, and after 10 years they have more frequent testing," said licensing officer Matt Burton.

"What we’re looking to do is move away from an age policy altogether, and as suggested in the best practice guidance, move towards an emissions and fuel type criteria."

If the new policy is approved, the first change would take place in April, when the council would stop licensing vehicles that only meet the Euro 4 emissions standard, though this would only affect three taxis in the borough.

In 2025-26, the council would accept renewal applications for Euro 5 vehicles for the final time.

Licences for new vehicles powered by petrol, diesel or LPG would no longer be granted from April 2027, while no vehicles with internal combustion engines would be licensed from 2030.

In 2035, the council would stop granting licences for hybrid vehicles, meaning all taxis would need to have zero tailpipe emissions.

Another proposed change would ban private hire vehicles from displaying door livery showing the operator’s name, to prevent confusion between private hire vehicles and hackney carriages.

However, concerns were raised that it may make it difficult for some people to identify the private hire vehicles they had booked.

Mr Burton added that this had been considered by the council.

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Essex police are investigating an assault which has left a taxi driver with a serious head injury in Colchester.

It was reported the victim, a man in his 40s, had been found injured in Brinkley Grove Road at around 1.50am on Saturday 2 November.

He has been taken to hospital where he is being treated for a fractured skull and bleed on the brain.

A man attended Colchester police station on Sunday 3 November and was arrested on suspicion of GBH with intent and is currently in custody.

Police enquires are ongoing and they are still looking to identify a man aged between 20 and 25, slim, and between 5ft 5ins and 5ft 9ins tall.

If you have any information or any CCTV / dashcam footage relating to the incident please contact Essex police quoting: 42/166162/24

PHTM wishes the driver a speedy recovery.

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It has been reported that Mayor Andy Burnham is confident that Wolverhampton plated PHVs will be banned from Greater Manchester.

However when questioned by a caller on a BBC Manchester radio show if the rumours were true he replied: “It’s not true, I’m afraid. I wish it was true.

“We want the law to be changed as quickly as possible to stop out-of-area working. We do not have that power at the moment

“We are hoping we will get [the power] in the English Devolution Bill. I am confident it’s coming, the ban on out-of-area working."

Before the election, the mayor said he had ‘a firm commitment’ from then shadow transport secretary Louise Haigh ‘that out of area working will be stopped under a Labour government.’

…..TIME WILL TELL.....

David Lawrie, Director of NPHTA - the National Private Hire and Taxi Association said: “ Whilst action does need to be taken, it is clear that the way in which it is being suggested is simply inaccurate, and cannot happen, since "out of town" means licensed outside of the individual council concerned, which in this case means Manchester City council.

“ It is not possible to ‘ban all those not licensed by Greater Manchester from entering the area, since firstly there is no such thing as a GM licence, and secondly, it is perfectly legitimate and legal for a pre-booked job to be carried out.

“For action to be taken against this practice of predominantly working out of area, it simply must be done the right way if it is to succeed!”

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A joint operation by South Cambridgeshire District Council and Cambridgeshire Constabulary has revealed widespread safety concerns among local taxi drivers.

Of the 17 taxis and PHVs inspected, only two were found to be fully compliant with licensing conditions, the rest were either sent advisory letters or issued with penalty points on their council-issued licence.

The checks included making sure that driver badges were displayed, door signage was in place, and that taxis were equipped with a first aid kit and fire extinguisher.

However, numerous violations were uncovered, ranging from minor infractions to more serious breaches of safety regulations.

Two drivers were caught parking illegally on double yellow lines, with one even disregarding a “no parking at any time” sign at Addenbrooke’s Hospital. Additionally, one driver was issued a fixed penalty notice for failing to wear a seatbelt when not carrying passengers.

One vehicle was found to have illegal window tints of 49.6% instead of 75% minimum light, significantly reducing visibility and compromising safety. The vehicle’s licence was immediately suspended, and the driver was given 14 days to rectify the issue.

A South Cambridgeshire Council spokesperson said: "Most drivers were cooperative, but two had a poor attitude towards council and police officers, leading to one driver being cautioned by the police. Their suitability to continue to hold a licence may lead to a referral to the Taxi Licensing Sub-Committee."

South Cambridgeshire Neighbourhood Sergeant, Rob Taylor, said: "It was disappointing to see the majority of taxis checked during the operation were not meeting the required standards

“These checks will continue throughout the year to ensure everyone's safety."

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