The rider of a moped woke up in hospital after being hit by a private hire driver's vehicle.
ChronicleLive reports that the male was struck by Mohammad Haseez's VW while travelling along Newcastle's Central Motorway.
When he woke up in hospital, he was told that he had been hit by a car and had no recollection of the collision.
Newcastle Magistrates' Court heard how Haseez, 43, had failed to see the moped while moving lanes at around 1.25am on June 11 this year.
Claire Armstrong, prosecuting, told the court the victim described how he had been riding a scooter in the left hand lane of the Central Motorway at about 40 to 50mph at the time.
She said: "There were no vehicles ahead of him as he approached the junction for Jesmond. It was a four lane motorway at this point, he was driving on lane three.
"He can't recall anything after this until he woke up in hospital and he was told he was hit by a car."
The court in Newcastle heard how officers attended the scene and Haseez, from Newcastle, was later charged with driving on a road / in a public place without due care and attention.
The defendant, who has a private hire vehicle and a licence through Newcastle City Council, pleaded guilty.
He chose not to be represented by a solicitor during his court hearing on Wednesday morning, 23 August.
District Judge Andrew Teate told Haseez: "You have had the good sense to plead guilty in relation to this matter. I also take into account you are a man of previous good character, you have a clean driving licence and work in the community as a taxi driver."
Haseez was told he will have six penalty points added to his driving licence.
He was ordered to pay a fine of £230, £350 compensation to the victim and £85 court costs.
Source: https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/taxi-driver-moped-collision-court-27577012
A new dedicated taxi zone at Edinburgh Waverley station is being introduced – the result of a collaboration between Network Rail and APCOA Parking which is designed to enhance the overall journey experience for passengers using the station.
Highways News reports that with space to accommodate up to 40 taxis, the facility in the New Street car park is the largest in Edinburgh city centre, offering a dedicated fleet of both hackney cab and private hire vehicles, including people carrier options for groups of up to eight, and standard TX taxis for customers with mobility impairments.
APCOA says agents are on standby throughout the station to take specific bookings at no extra cost, and passengers will receive real-time waiting updates if a vehicle isn’t available immediately.
Edinburgh Waverley’s station manager Chris King commented: “We’re delighted to have worked with APCOA to create a dedicated facility within the station area which will be great for passengers, particularly for those with reduced mobility, or those travelling with children, prams or luggage.
"It has also generated employment opportunities for local people and offers convenient onward travel options to those who need it, with the reassurance of either getting a taxi straight away or knowing for certain that one is on its way.”
Across the UK, APCOA works with multiple public sector organisations including 26 local authorities, 13 NHS Trusts, and a range of providers in the education sector.
Source: https://highways-news.com/new-taxi-zone-introduced-at-edinburgh-station/
A taxi driver was allegedly racially abused and assaulted by a passenger in Mansfield.
NottinghamshireLive reports that the driver picked up a group on Sunday, August 20, at around 4:45am and they then reportedly started acting aggressively.
The driver pulled over the car on Chesterfield Road and asked the group to get out, but one of the passengers allegedly snatched some cash from the driver.
The driver challenged the passenger, and then allegedly received a torrent of racial abuse.
One of the passengers allegedly attempted to punch the driver, and the driver's car was also reportedly kicked several times during the incident. This resulted in multiple dents and scratches on the vehicle.
Officers arrived at the scene afterwards and stopped a suspect in the street.
An 18-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of using racially aggravated words, assault, theft, and causing criminal damage in connection with the incident.
PC Corey Trench, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: “This was a completely unacceptable incident that understandably left the victim very distressed.
"It really should go without saying but it is simply not okay for anyone to subject anyone to racial abuse, and this kind of behaviour will never be tolerated by us as a force.
“Nottinghamshire Police is completely opposed to all forms of hate crime and will always take robust action, should we receive any reports of this nature.
"Hate speech can have a real, longstanding impact on victims, which is precisely why we take all reports we receive so seriously, and why anyone found to be involved should expect to find themselves in trouble with the police."
He continued: “We have arrested a suspect in connection with this incident, but our inquiries are still ongoing, so we’d ask anyone with any information to contact the police on 101, quoting incident 150 of 20 August 2023.”
Source: https://www.nottinghampost.com/news/nottingham-news/reports-taxi-driver-racially-abused-8696312
A grinning thug who nearly blinded a female police officer in a drunken rage over an unpaid taxi fare has been given a suspended sentence.
The Belfast Telegraph reports that Samuel Crawford was so drunk during the incident he had no memory of getting into the taxi and had no means to pay the £17.60 tariff with just a lighter and a car key in his pocket.
He felled the constable with a single punch and damaged her cornea during the violent outburst which has seen the policewoman off sick for months as a result.
Earlier this month at Laganside Magistrates' Court, the boozed-up brute confessed to making off without paying, disorderly behaviour, assault and assault on police.
The 35-year-old also denied common assault, two counts of resisting arrest and two further counts of assault on police — however he was convicted on all charges.
The court heard police were called to a report of a taxi passenger making off without paying on Westland Way, north Belfast, in the early hours of April 16 this year.
?Two officers in attendance implored Crawford to go home and sober up, the court heard, but the incident quickly turned nasty as he became aggressive with both of them.
Body-worn camera footage was shown to the court and depicted a swaying and slurring Crawford shouting at and then attacking two police officers.
In the clip he could be heard telling a male officer: “I am going to slap the head off you, I’m going to spit in your face,” before doing so, with the spit landing on the left side of the officer’s face.
A struggle ensued and a female officer was punched in the right eye, causing her to scream out in pain, leaving her needing an emergency operation on her eye-socket in hospital.
The court heard how the blow from Crawford had caused such an abrasion to her cornea, there is now blurred vision in the eye as well as redness.
The male officer also described in his statement an agitated Crawford “tensing his arms” while saying, “I’m going to f***ing beat the f*** out of you”.
A defence lawyer told the court Crawford had recently turned over a new leaf, adding: “The change in circumstances has been the birth of a child and he has now turned his life around”.
Sentencing him, deputy district judge Anne Marshall said: “All he had to do was leave the scene and pay the fare the next day and he wouldn’t be here.
“He couldn’t even remember getting the taxi and entered the car with only a lighter and a car key which speaks to his level of intoxication.
“The whole thing is utter madness, if he had just taken the numerous opportunities to move on when asked to do so by police, he would have been fine.
“The officer is still off sick with the injury to her eye.”
Crawford, of York Road, Belfast, was sentenced to seven months in jail, suspended for two years.
A taxi driver has shared his shock at finding a tiny kitten inside his engine following a 500-mile shift.
WalesOnline reports that Tom Hutchings, who owns Tommy's Taxis in Tonyrefail, said he made the discovery at around 12pm on Tuesday 15 August, after driving to Bristol Airport, Llanelli, Cardiff and Treherbert.
When he returned home to Tonyrefail he said his fiancée Lauren Lewis noticed a bright pink nose in the grille of his car. He said he was startled when he peered in and saw two big eyes staring back at him.
The 32-year-old said: "She told me there was something in the front of my car and pointed. I had a little look inside and I couldn't see anything at first, then my nose was practically against my car as I was trying to look.
"Suddenly my nose and the kitten's nose were more or less touching. It meowed and I jumped and did a roly poly backwards."
Once he regained composure, Tom said he used tools to open up his car so he could lift the kitten out.
He said: "It was tiny and fitted in my two hands. It must have been exhausted, it was freaking out at first but then it fell asleep straight away on the way to the vet.
"The vet told me to put it online, which I had already done. Later the vet informed us that it had come from Miskin which is about seven or eight miles up the road. The vet couldn't give me any more details about the family because of data protection, so we left our post online to try and find them and then the owner messaged me directly.
"She sent me a long message saying she was so thankful that we found her. The female kitten called Gizmo had been missing for a week so I think they had lost hope."
Although Tom had driven a long way that day, he said he has no idea how, when or where the kitten got into his car as he hadn't been in Miskin.
He said: "I don't think it could have been in my car all that time, but I don't know when or where it got in because I haven't been to Miskin.
"That day I was in Bristol Airport at 2am, I was in Llanelli at 6am, then Cardiff Airport and Treherbert. I had done maybe 500 miles that day - she's probably the first passenger I've had who hasn't paid me!
"If that cat was in the car for the whole 500 miles it would blow my mind. Poor thing only has eight lives left now."
A huge animal lover, Tom said driving will never quite be the same again after this.
He said: "Over the last two days every time I've stopped my car I've walked around to the front of my car to check it hasn't happened again. I'm never going to be able to drive a car again without listening out for animal noises."
Source: https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/taxi-driver-finds-kitten-inside-27543349
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.