The Victoria Wood statue in Bury town centre will be removed for repairs after the memorial was knocked over by a private hire vehicle on the evening of Monday 3 June.
The Bury Times reports that the council, which is responsible for maintaining the statue on Church Gardens, said the incident, which happened at around 10pm, was "disappointing", adding it will be removed to assess the extent of the damage.
The vehicle sustained significant damage, and the driver was taken to hospital with non-serious injuries.
No arrests were made, police confirmed.
A council spokesman said: “Victoria Wood was a national treasure, and we are proud to call her one of our own.
“The statue was made by the acclaimed sculptor Graham Ibbeson and unveiled in 2019.
“We are currently making arrangements for the statue to be removed and kept in a safe place while we assess the extent of the damage to it.
"We will be in close contact with Victoria’s family in deciding what to do next.
“We understand that the police are investigating the incident, and that the driver went to hospital with non-serious injuries. The vehicle is a private hire vehicle, licensed in Wolverhampton.”
Victoria’s brother Chris Foote-Wood, who was part of the committee that helped to install the statue said: “It’s a terrible shock to be told that your sister has been knocked down by a taxi, but Victoria always was tough and her bronze statue even more so.
"She’ll be back good as new very soon.”
The memorial, which was unveiled in 2019, serves as a celebration of the the life and work of the Prestwich-born actress and comedian, who first found fame in the 1970s on TV talent show, New Faces.
The comedian went on to star in acclaimed sitcoms including Dinnerladies and Acorn Antiques as well as comedy sketch show, Victoria Wood: As Seen on TV.
Source: https://www.burytimes.co.uk/news/24365078.victoria-wood-statue-removed-taxi-crash/
A blade and drugs were taken off the streets following a stop by Nottingham’s knife crime team.
The West Bridgford Wire reports that specialist officers were patrolling Bulwell in their cars when one of them radioed in some suspicious activity.
This came after a suspect was spotted making an exchange in Sandhurst Road, before getting into a waiting taxi.
Suspecting a drug deal had just taken place, the team all moved in and pulled the car over at 11.50am on Tuesday 28 May.
Deal bags of suspected heroin and crack cocaine were found on board, along with a lock knife and a small amount of cannabis.
Following the discovery, a 17-year-old boy was arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply Class A drugs and possessing a knife in public.
He was also arrested on suspicion of possessing a Class B drug.
Sergeant Matt Daley, of Nottinghamshire Police’s knife crime team, said: “We’ve said it before but incidents such as this are precisely why we focus on people we believe could be involved in drug activity.
“From our experience as a specialist team, drug and knife crime offending does often go hand-in-hand, as suspected dealers look to arm themselves with a weapon of some kind.
“Our main goal when we leave the station is to identify knife carriers and seize weapons, but these discoveries do regularly come about while we’re stopping suspects for drug offences.
“This tactic has led to some great results for our team in the past, which is why it’s so important we’re able to get out in the communities that we police on our proactive patrols.”
Source: https://westbridgfordwire.com/knife-and-drugs-seized-after-police-stop-nottingham-taxi/
A Glasgow taxi driver has said the LEZ has brought an end to a nearly 70-year family cab tradition.
Calum Anderson has said the Glasgow City Council initiative will force him to hand over a plate that was used by his father since the 1950s and by him for the last three decades.
It comes as 269 cabs were taken off the road on June 1 as the deadline for the LEZ time-limited extension for taxi drivers came to an end.
Speaking to the Glasgow Times, the 57-year-old said: “The taxi plate was my dad’s before it was mine. He was driving taxis since the 50s and I came into the trade at 21 years old.
“This is such a frustrating process, and I just don’t think the council cares. There was no need for any of this.
“And this is not taxi drivers being miserable, it is just not viable to do any of this and it is putting a lot of mental stress on us.
“I thought I would drive my taxi until I had to retire, but that’s not the case anymore.”
With the number of plates disappearing from our roads, Calum, who is chairman of the Glasgow cab section for Unite the Union, added that he is concerned that Glaswegians will be put in more vulnerable situations.
He continued: “Black cabs are essential to the city. We have a knowledge of the city, and we are essential for inclusive living as we take wheelchairs and even guide dogs.
"So, if we are gone, what does that mean for those with disabilities trying to get home?
“And people who can’t get taxis will just start walking home instead and it puts them in a vulnerable position that they never should have been in in the first place. That’s worrying for us.
“It is an issue and total disregard for the taxi trade by the council.”
Calum also believes the initiative will damage the city further than it “already is.”
He said: “The council have let the city die in an attempt to save the planet. They have destroyed this city, and it is an embarrassment and absolutely demoralising.
“Taxis are going to be off the road, more shops will close.
“I tell you; I’ve been driving a taxi now for about 37 years and I’ve never bought into this idea that the city is finished, but I do now.”
Calum went on to say that he has been left disgusted with how many people, like him, will lose their livelihoods as the extension period comes to an end.
Michael Smith has been a cabbie for the last 28 years.
The 59-year-old told the Glasgow Times of his hurt and anger as he said he has been forced off the roads by the council.
He said: “I’m very sad but I’m very angry as well. I thought I would retire at 66 or 67, or I would die behind the wheel of my cab. I never imagined I would be leaving like this.
“Glasgow City Council have pushed us into a corner, and we have been treated like s***.
“We want to breathe clean air, but we don’t want to go out of business to get it. It’s absolutely awful. It’s been very stressful for everyone.”
It comes after Michael was faced with either trying to find the funds to put an LPG engine into his 15-year-old vehicle or leaving the trade behind.
Following the financial hardships Covid brought upon taxi drivers, Michael decided that replacing his engine was not a viable option.
He has since sold his taxi, for which he got £800 in return.
Michael explained: “I came out of the pandemic having worked 60 hours a week for about £30 a day. I was buying food and paying bills on a credit card – which meant my credit score just went right down.
“I think I came out of Covid about £10k in debt.
“We’ve been told a lot by both the council and the public that we’ve known the LEZs were going to happen and that we had plenty of time to sort a plan.
“But we didn’t know Covid was going to happen. Before Covid, if you had a seven-year plan it became more like nine years. It brought us more hardships than ever before.
“Covid didn’t make us stand still, it completely pushed us back.”
Calum agreed, saying: “We had no wages for two years because of Covid and I tried saying to the council, could you imagine returning to work and being told you have to go and buy a brand-new taxi that complies with some new initiative? It is simply not doable.
“We were hit so hard in Covid.”
A spokesperson for Glasgow City Council said: “The LEZ is an essential measure if Glasgow is to tackle the harmful air pollution that has blighted parts of the city centre for decades.
“Glasgow’s LEZ has been well publicised and had an extensive lead-in time. We have engaged with operators and their representatives to support the taxi sector move toward compliance.
"We have consistently encouraged eligible operators to take advantage of Scottish Government funding toward cleaner, new vehicles, or to retrofit existing vehicles - with £2.4 million paid in retrofit grants since 2019 for taxis in our region.
"We also amended licensing conditions to expand the options available to operators of taxis which could not be retrofitted due to vehicle age.
“Eligible operators were also granted an exemption from the scheme’s first year of operation, and we will show further flexibilities beyond this point, but only for operators who can show they are actively taking steps to meet the cleaner LEZ standards.
“A significant majority of people use public transport to access the city and only a small minority of vehicles are affected by LEZ air quality standards."
A taxi driver has had his licence revoked and ordered to pay Bolsover District Council £1,000 in court costs.
According to the Derbyshire Times, the defendant, Mr Best, 61, from Rotherham, notified the council in September 2023 of a speeding offence from the previous month.
However, following this, a full check of the defendant's DVLA licence was carried out and it revealed that he had an additional speeding offence for which the council did not have a record of notification.
Mr Best had previously received a written warning for failure to notify in 2020. Failure to notify and notify within a specified time are a breach of the council’s Taxi Licensing Policy and these facts were also taken into account.
Mr Best attended a Licensing Sub-Committee on Thursday 1 February 2024 to consider whether he remained a ‘fit and proper’ person to hold a Hackney Carriage/Private Hire Vehicle Driver's Licence.
The committee took into account the number, type and frequency of speeding offences accrued, which was a total of five speeding offences since September 2014 while also noting that the last two speeding offences occurred within six-months of each other.
In addition, one of the speeding offences occurred within the previous six-months of the hearing. The committee voted unanimously to revoke his licence on the basis that they believed he was no longer fit and proper to drive a taxi, which Mr Best appealed.
The appeal was heard at Chesterfield Magistrates' Court on Wednesday 22 May 2024 and upon hearing the evidence, the Magistrates upheld the council's decision and awarded £1,000 in costs.
Mr Best argued that some of his convictions were ‘spent’, that he was a safe driver and the speeding offences were made in error, but the council rebutted stating that convictions are never ‘spent’ in taxi licensing cases.
Council policy also states that ‘hackney carriage and private hire drivers are expected to have a higher standard of driving competency than the average driver’.
The first steps will be taken to regulate the operation of Uber rides in Blackpool after a meeting between the company and Chris Webb MP.
The Blackpool Gazette reports that Chris Webb, who will again be Labour's candidate to be MP for Blackpool South after parliament is dissolved, said Uber has agreed to “open up conversation” with Blackpool Council about applying for an operating licence in a meeting with him on May 29.
The company also told him it is open to blocking its drivers from picking up in Blackpool taxi ranks and that it will establish lines of communication with Blackpool’s licensing team to facilitate the reporting of any illegal activity by Uber drivers.
Webb believes this is a “significant step” in tackling what local taxi drivers say is an influx of Uber cars in the town, despite the US company having no operating licence for the area.
Webb raised the issue on May 16 as his first question in the House of Commons.
He said: “Blackpool is experiencing the scourge of unlicensed taxis in our treasured seaside resort.
"Uber and similar companies, which have no operating licence in Blackpool, are allowing passengers to use their unlicensed taxis uninsured, creating a real public safety risk.
“These unlicensed taxis are parking in local ranks illegally, taking fares from our hard-working, rule-abiding Blackpool taxi drivers.
"What is the Minister doing to tackle these unlicensed drivers, and will he meet me to discuss this issue in my constituency?”
While the Minister for Local Transport Guy Opperman did not offer Webb a meeting, the MP was subsequently granted a meeting with Uber.
“Uber told me it is open to the idea of blocking its drivers from picking up fares in local taxi ranks – plying for trade which would invalidate their insurance.
"I believe they should have a locally granted licence to operate in the area, however, and the company agreed that it would begin talks with the council about applying for a private operating licence.
"This is an issue I will continue working on following the general election on July 4.
“There are about 1,000 taxi drivers in Blackpool whose livelihoods depend on local trade. If Uber floods the place with cars it will have a massive impact on them.
"Taxi work, like lots of other work in Blackpool, is somewhat seasonal. Uber is just adding to that existing insecurity.”
Since the question on May 16, Webb says he has also met with the Shadow Minister for Local Transport, Blackpool Council’s licensing team and the Council Executive member for Highways & Traffic Management and met with positive responses.
Following his meeting with Uber on 1 June, Webb also met with members of Blackpool Licensed Taxi Operators Association who told him of their two-year battle with Uber drivers in Blackpool.
Adam Vacchiano, a hackney driver in the town, said members have collected thousands of pieces of evidence of wrongdoing by Uber drivers in Blackpool. He said BLTOA is keen to work with Blackpool Council to tackle the issue.
He said: “If they operate within the law it would be fine but wrongdoing is widespread.”
Vacchiano added: “We feel like we’ve finally got somebody behind our fight in Chris Webb. This situation has been going on for over two years. It’s widespread illegality and the lack of enforcement has been frustrating.”
Bill Lewtas, a recently retired taxi driver who remains active in BLTOA said he was feeling positive after his meeting with Webb.
“Chris was sympathetic to our case and supportive. We’re more hopeful now,” he said.
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.
A pilot emissions reduction grant scheme providing financial support for hackney carriage drivers to upgrade to cleaner EURO 6 and fully battery powered vehicles has been launched.
The ride-hailing giant has submitted an application for an operator licence to Darlington Borough Council, with a decision expected in August.
Darlington could soon see Uber cars on its streets after the ride-hailing giant applied for a licence to operate in the town.
Stratford-upon-Avon District Council has revoked the licences of two taxi drivers following a series of speeding offences.
A Northampton taxi driver has been found guilty of trafficking cocaine between his home city and Milford Haven.
The move comes after concerns were raised by the taxi industry about the rising cost of purchasing new vehicles.
Guide Dogs charity has asked licensing authorities in England for their support in sharing guidance on the law on carrying guide or other assistance dogs with all taxi and private hire operators.
Reading Taxi Association (RTA) chairman Asif Rashid has slammed Reading Borough Council's proposed phase-out of older petrol and diesel cabs by 2028, calling it a financial burden for drivers.
Dorset Council is poised to review taxi fares across the region, excluding Weymouth and Portland which have separate regulations.
A North Belfast man, Ruairi Fintan Muldoon (31), has been sentenced to 12 months in prison with an additional 12 months on supervised release for a botched attempt to rob a taxi driver.
Passengers are been invited to take part in a survey aimed at finding out if the taxi trade in West Suffolk is accessible to all.
A Glasgow man, Darren Gray, 31, launched into a verbal tirade and racially abused a taxi driver on Paisley Road West on August 19th, 2022.