Veezu, the UK's fastest-growing taxi and private hire vehicle business, has announced a charitable initiative to support NSPCC Childline Cymru this Christmas.

Throughout December, a portion of the revenue from each journey booked via the Veezu app will be donated to the children's charity.

The funds will be used to help ensure that children in Wales have access to essential support services during the festive season.

Sally Krouma, Marketing Manager at Veezu, expressed the company's commitment to giving back to the community: "We are delighted to support NSPCC Childline Cymru and contribute to the invaluable work they do. By donating a portion of our app booking revenue, we hope to make a positive impact on the lives of young people in Wales."

Hywel Peterson, Chairman of NSPCC Cymru, welcomed Veezu's generosity: "We are incredibly grateful to Veezu for their support through the Funded by Veezu initiative.

"Their contribution will help us to continue providing vital support to children and young people in Wales."

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Peterborough City Council councillors have voted against a proposal to make CCTV mandatory in all taxis and private hire vehicles licensed with the council.

The decision, made in a 37-8 vote with nine abstentions, came after significant opposition from local taxi drivers.

The proposed measure, which had been approved by the city's licensing committee in September, would have required drivers to install CCTV cameras in their vehicles at their own expense.

These cameras would have needed to be operational at all times during paid fares and while waiting at taxi ranks, capturing both the driver and passengers.

Taxi drivers in Peterborough expressed concerns about the additional costs associated with the CCTV systems, particularly given the current economic climate.

They also questioned the necessity of such measures, citing low crime rates in the city.

Several councillors who voted against the proposal highlighted potential drawbacks, including the risk of drivers registering their vehicles in neighbouring authorities with less stringent regulations.

They argued that this could lead to a two-tier system, undermining the purpose of the CCTV initiative.

While some councillors supported the CCTV proposal, citing potential safety benefits for both passengers and drivers, the majority ultimately voted against it.

The council did, however, agree to lobby the government for stricter national regulations on taxi licensing, aiming to prevent cross-border operations and ensure consistent standards across the country.

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A taxi driver is perplexed by a 1,600-mile discrepancy on a vehicle that was supposedly off the road for repairs.

Jane Grigor, represented by her husband John Grigor, attended a South Ayrshire Council (SAC) Regulatory Panel hearing to determine her suitability to hold a taxi licence.

Two of her taxis had failed inspections, raising concerns whether she was a ‘fit and proper person’ to hold a licence.

One vehicle was inspected in March 2024 and failed its taxi test, while another was put forward for inspection in October and failed. Both taxis were presented again for inspection with both passing.

The second vehicle had been inspected by SAC’s fleet management in August prior to its test failure and was found to be satisfactory.

Mr Grigor was asked to outline the reasons for the failed tests.

He told the panel that the first taxi had failed for two things, one an ‘intermittent fault’ and a warning light on the dashboard.

He said that the light hadn’t been on when it was taken to the test centre but came on during the test.

And the other thing it failed on was the meter reading wrong but he said the meter was still sealed from when it was tested [by the council registered taxi tester] .

He added: “I have absolutely no idea how a meter and the reading can change or how a meter can go faulty because it’s been sealed.”

He also said that the cause of the intermittent fault had taken several weeks to identify.

Councillor Martin Kilbride then noted an anomaly with the mileage of one of the vehicles.

He said: “So, it first failed on March 21, and then it was re-presented on April 8.

“The car had done 1,600 miles in that 20-day period. Can you explain that for us? Because it had just failed the test, re-presented 20 days later, and it had done 1,600 miles.”

Mr Grigor responded: “Unless somebody had taken it out, it was in a garage in Orchard Avenue, and the only place it would have gone to was to an auto electrician, which is in Green Street.

“I don’t see how it could have done 1,600 miles, and this is the first I’ve known of that.”

Cllr Kilbride continued: “Well, it says it failed on March 21 at 185,353 miles. And then it passed on April 10 and it was 186,940. ”

Mr Grigor repeated his assertion, saying: “I honestly can’t explain that. It’s the first I’ve known of that.

“There’s no way I would have taken a car out. I’ve got spare cars, so I don’t need to put a taxi out that’s not roadworthy."

Councillor Ian Cavana said: “The gentleman said it’s sat in a garage but you don’t do 1,600 miles sat in a garage.

“Is there a mistake here in the mileage?

A licensing officer confirmed that the mileages had been confirmed on the official government website.

Cllr Cavana suggested delaying a decision to get verification of the mileage.

“If you’ve done 1,600 miles in that time, then we’ve got a real problem.

“But if these figures are inaccurate, then we’ve got a problem there as well, because we’ve got people sitting here who are saying the car hasn’t moved.”

The panel agreed to continue the hearing to a later date to clarify the mileage and for Mr Grigor to speak to the mechanic about the anomaly.

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A Doncaster man has been jailed for his role in a speeding fine scam that helped more than a dozen drivers avoid prosecution.

Khuram Yaqoob, 35, provided false names and addresses to drivers who were caught speeding, allowing them to escape penalty points.

The scam, which ran between 2017 and 2019, netted Yaqoob thousands of pounds.

Yaqoob was described as the “central figure and ringleader” of the conspiracy by Judge Jonathon Rose at Bradford Crown Court.

He was sentenced to three years and four months in prison after either admitting or being convicted of perverting the course of justice.

The scam was uncovered in 2019 when Yaqoob was arrested for firearms offences and his phone was seized which revealed details of the speeding fine scam.

A total of 18 individuals, including Yaqoob, were sentenced on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Among the drivers sentenced was Idris Yousaf, 45, a Huddersfield private hire driver, who was jailed for six months after the court heard that he could have faced disqualification from driving if he had three more points on his licence.

Yousaf, from Golcar, paid Yaqoob a total of £290 for him to deal with his Notice of Intended Prosecution after he was caught doing 36mph in a 30mph zone.

Judge Rose emphasised the need for “deterrent and punitive sentences” for those who undermine the justice system.

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A huge hike in taxi fares of almost 27 per cent has been agreed in the Borders which will probably come into force in early February 2025..

Scottish Borders Council (SBC) reviews rates every 18 months, the last review took place in August 2019.

A formula to determine variations in taxi fares was agreed between the trade, the traffic commissioner and the local authority.

A further review was due to be held in 2021, however, operational pressures and the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic delayed it.

Discussions with taxi operators highlighted the financial pressures facing the sector due to increasing costs and delays associated with the review.

Operators are now reporting cost rises of around 144 per cent due to increased operational costs, including insurance, fuel and wages.

When members of SBC’s decision-making Executive Committee met on Tuesday 3 December, they agreed an increase of 26.7 per cent.

Members also endorsed a rise in the soiling charge from £70 to £100.

Kelso & District councillor Tom Weatherston “reluctantly” supported the huge hike, saying: “I think as a committee we are in a very difficult position today and to coin a phrase, we’re stuck between a rock and a hard place.

“I am very aware that taxi operators have been placed in a very difficult position. I spoke to one last night and he’s really struggling and he said without this rise he’ll probably fold.

“On the other had I can see the impact this will have on the public using the service, but if you haven’t got a taxi, you haven’t got a service anyway, so I’m reluctantly going to support this.”

Selkirkshire councillor Elaine Thornton-Nicol added: “I know people think taxis are very expensive but it is a privilege not a right. You don’t have a right to a taxi. It’s not a human right.

“We are now at a stage that we have artificially held quite frequently the levels of increase down. We all know how much fuel has gone up.”

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