A man has been arrested after a long police incident that followed the alleged robbery of a taxi driver.
Police officers and specialist negotiators were at the scene on Mill Lane, Ely, Cardiff, for more than seven hours through the night.
WalesOnline has seen photographs of the scene showing a large police presence with at least five force vehicles.
Officers were on the street from just before midnight on Tuesday, August 29 until just after 7am the following day.
South Wales Police said they were called just before 11:50pm following a report of a robbery of a taxi driver on St Margaret’s Park, Ely.
They said that follow-up enquiries were conducted at an address in Mill Lane by local officers with support from a firearms team.
Negotiators were also involved in the incident and successfully brought it to a close safely just after 7am on Wednesday, August 30.
South Wales Police said that nobody was injured during the incident.
A 31-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of affray, robbery and false imprisonment and is currently in police custody.
A spokesperson for the force said: "South Wales Police was called just before 11.50pm yesterday evening, Tuesday 29th August, following a report of a robbery of a taxi driver on St Margaret’s Park, Ely, Cardiff.
"Follow up arrest enquiries were conducted at an address in Mill Lane, Ely, by local officers with support from a firearms team. Specialist trained negotiators assisted in concluding the incident safely just after 7am this morning.
"A 31-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of affray, robbery and false imprisonment and is currently in police custody. No-one was injured during the incident."
Source: https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/armed-officers-specialist-negotiators-swoop-27619475
Farnham Borough Council is set to decide on plans to install CCTV cameras in taxis and private hire vehicles, following the conviction of a driver in Hampshire for sexually assaulting a passenger.
The News reports that the decision will be made by the council’s licensing and regulatory affairs committee in an upcoming meeting on September 4.
The move follows a Department for Transport’s report in July 2020, which highlighted safety standards in taxis, particularly for safeguarding children and vulnerable adults.
Last year, a consultation involving 77 members of the licensed trade revealed that around 68 per cent did not favour mandatory CCTV, mainly due to cost concerns.
Within the trade, 48 per cent of drivers reported facing threats while working, and 41 per cent already had CCTV installed in their vehicles.
A separate survey involving 95 members of the public found that four individuals had experienced crime while in a taxi. A noteworthy 74 per cent of respondents conveyed that they would feel safer in taxis equipped with CCTV, with 61 per cent supporting mandatory installation.
The council is now revisiting its previous decision to reject a blanket requirement for CCTV, which was influenced by relatively low complaint levels and financial challenges faced by drivers due to the pandemic.
Council documents state: “On 26 July 2023, Donna Jones, the Police and Crime Commissioner for Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, called for all licensing authorities across Hampshire to introduce mandatory CCTV in taxis and private hire vehicles.
“This call was made following the conviction of a taxi driver in Southampton in May 2023 for a serious sexual assault to a passenger in his taxi.
"The police found footage on the mandatory CCTV in the taxi which led to the conviction without the need for the victim to suffer the ordeal of a trial.”
The proposal suggests that all newly plated taxis should be equipped with CCTV, while existing vehicles would have until April 25, 2025, to comply with this requirement.
A taxi stolen from its depot in Cardigan town centre resulted in a high-speed police car chase through Pembrokeshire last weekend.
According to the Western telegraph, the white Ford was stolen from the Home James depot early on Sunday afternoon, 27 August.
The private hire operators released details of the theft on social media and numerous reports were subsequently made to Dyfed-Powys Police of a car, which fitted its description, driving ‘erratically’ through Pembrokeshire.
The car was tracked by police as it made its way through Pembrokeshire and into Haverfordwest.
It is understood that this was where it was eventually stopped by police and the occupants arrested.
If anyone has any information concerning the incident, they are asked to contact Dyfed-Powys Police.
“We want to thank everyone who took the time to contact the police and report the dangerous driving,” commented Home James on social media.
“Thankfully, nobody was hurt.”
Source: https://www.westerntelegraph.co.uk/news/23750660.police-car-chase-taxi-stolen-cardigan-town-centre/
A taxi driver who worked for a business which was allegedly subjected to a six-year campaign of violence by a disgruntled former employee has described hearing a loud bang before the windows of his vehicle shattered.
Giving evidence the driver, who worked for Goldline Travel which was based near Beccles, said on the first occasion in December 2015 he was parked in a car park in Beccles when he heard a bang and saw a rear window of the taxi had shattered.
According to the Eastern Daily Press, three months later in March 2016 he had an elderly passenger in his taxi when he heard a “popping” sound and saw a rear window had shattered.
He said he thought someone had shot at the window because of similar incidents being reported by other Goldline taxi drivers.
The driver told a jury at Ipswich Crown Court that in June 2016 he was driving in Beccles when he heard a loud bang and saw a rear window had shattered.
Before the court are Adrian Ling, 63, of Beccles, and Daniel Garrison, 34, of Woodbridge, who have denied conspiring to commit criminal damage to property belonging to Goldline Travel between December 2012 and November 2019.
Ling has also denied four offences of having an air rifle with intent to commit criminal damage between 2013 and 2019.
It has been alleged that during a campaign of violence by Ling and Garrison against Goldline Travel, which operates a small fleet of coaches and taxis from its premises in Ellough, near Beccles, its vehicles were repeatedly vandalised, and, on several occasions, taxis were shot at while picking up and carrying fares.
The court has heard that Ling started working for Goldline in 2008 as a mechanic and was sacked by its owner Ian Trussler in 2012.
“It is clear that he was very angry about being sacked and it’s the prosecution case that he has harboured a significant personal grudge against Ian Trussler and Goldline and has carried out a sustained vendetta against them,” alleged Andrew Thompson, prosecuting.
He claimed that Ling, who was convicted of stealing diesel from Goldline but subsequently acquitted on appeal, started the vendetta following his dismissal while Garrison allegedly joined the conspiracy in 2016.
The trial continues.
Source: https://www.edp24.co.uk/news/23754371.beccles-goldline-travel-trial-taxi-driver-hears-loud-bang/
A private hire who was getting fed up with the council's free electric car charging rule has hailed the move to introduce EV tariffs as the right thing to do.
The Glasgow Times reports that Stuart Swan said the news to roll out a fee to charge electric motors across the area is "really good and welcoming."
It comes after East Renfrewshire Council recently announced fees are to be brought to the local authority later this year for public chargers.
The move will see users pay a rate for the electricity they consume, which is to be set at 40p per kWh for standard charging units (7kW and 22kW), and 70p per kWh for rapid units.
There will also be a £1 minimum fee and no overstay charge for standard charging units, and there will be a £1 per minute, after 60 minutes, overstay fee for rapid units, with a 10-minute grace period.
Before the move, Stuart told the Glasgow Times the free charging was becoming a "problem" as he was often finding himself unable to charge his car when he was working.
The 40-year-old called for "overstay charges" and a "fee" for charging to be introduced following the issues he was facing.
He said: "The biggest problem is the chargers that are free. I know that for a fact because Glasgow City Council was also free until about four months ago and many taxi drivers were having the same problem."
The keen worker says before starting a shift he will always try and leave his house with a full battery.
However, depending on the type of journeys he does, in terms of distance, it can impact how long his car charge lasts.
Stuart, who has been a cabbie for over four years, claims when he makes longer trips out of the area, once he arrives back and needs a charging boost that's when he drives into issues.
He said: "As soon as I get back to my ranks that's when I start having issues trying to find a charger. What happens is there's a lot of people that will plug in their car and leave it.
"So basically, depending on how low my charge is and if I can't drive anywhere else, I'm sitting waiting.
"This mostly happens on the chargers that are free in East Renfrewshire."
The cabbie revealed he bought his new EV earlier this year for several reasons including his previous motor wasn't LEZ compliant in Glasgow and he thought he'd save some cash.
Currently, the cab driver finds himself heading out of the local area to grab a quick charge while on shift but the introduction of the fees will "save" him for doing this, he said.
Stuart also revealed due to the issue, it has started to affect his shift patterns (changing from day to night), profits, and health.
He said: "It's starting to mentally get me a bit down because I'm thinking - 'What's going to happen today?'
"You just constantly think in the back of your mind of making a plan B if there's no chargers in East Renfrewshire available."
He added: "With the money that I'm also saving on it being cheaper than diesel - I immediately lose it due to working shorter hours on some days."
Now, with the council set to introduce fees, the cabbie is feeling less frustrated. He added: "It's just really good and welcoming news to hear because it's going to free up the charges completely.
"I know the moment they introduce the fees a lot of people will just start charging at home so when I'm out at work and need a charge, I'll probably have a lot more options.
He added: "With them introducing an overstay fee on the rapid chargers it just means that I'll be able to get on them a lot quicker.
"It's all I really wanted. It's going to be life-changing for work and take a lot of stress away. It's going to save me driving to different council areas to charge my car now."
Approval was granted by cabinet members in the council on December, 1, 2022 for the introduction of tariffs and overstay charges.
Members met on Thursday 24 August, to agree on minimum fees, tariffs, overstay charges and grace period for overstay charges.
A local councillor has sparked a debate on passenger safety after claiming that using locally licensed taxis is safer than hailing an Uber.
A taxi driver was attacked and subjected to racist abuse after two brothers refused to pay him up front.
Christopher Hilling, 64, admitted to engaging a child in sexual activity at Chelmsford Crown Court on Thursday 8 August.
Abdigani Ebrahim, 38, of Grangetown, admitted charges of affray and criminal damage following the incident in Northcote Street, Roath, last July.
The crackdown targeted drivers operating across council boundaries to ensure public safety and compliance with regulations.
Lucio Valentino relies on his six-year-old Border Collie, Pixel, to help manage his mental health conditions, including depression and personality disorders.
Taxi drivers across the Fylde Coast are set to receive a briefing note aimed at clearing up confusion over out-of-area private hire vehicles.
Police are appealing to find a taxi driver who may have "vital clues" about the murder of Ryan Passey seven years ago since he was fatally stabbed in a Stourbridge nightclub.
A joint operation by Hull City Council, Wolverhampton Council, and Humberside Police has uncovered a number of safety issues with taxis operating in the city.
French taxi drivers are calling for government compensation after suffering significant revenue losses during the Paris Olympics.
Coventry city centre has introduced a new taxi marshal service aimed at improving safety and efficiency for late-night revellers.
A court heard harrowing details of the moment a drink-driving uninsured motorist killed three people in a 90mph crash.
The Taxi Charity for Military Veterans was amongst the thousands who enjoyed the Battle Proms at Highclere Castle on 3 August.
Swindon residents could be facing a hike in taxi fares from October after councillors gave the green light to a £1 increase in the standard fare minimum charge.
Ricky Harold, a 20-year veteran of the town’s taxi trade, was parked in a lay-by when his vehicle was struck from behind by a black Audi A2.
Chinese automotive giant Geely has deepened its commitment to the UK electric vehicle market with a £120m cash injection into London Electric Vehicle Company (LEVC).
North Tyneside Council is facing a backlash over plans to increase taxi fares by 6.3%.
Nazim Asmal preyed on his victims after nights out in Preston and Darwen, driving them to secluded spots before carrying out horrific sexual assaults.
Newcastle is set to see a surge in pink taxis driven by women as part of a new initiative aimed at improving passenger safety.
An unlicensed taxi driver who picked up two vulnerable women in Aberdare has been ordered to pay nearly £1,500 in fines and costs.