A couple of private hire firms based in Prestatyn have joined forces after one of them split from the merger it had in place with a company based in Rhyl.
According to the Rhyl Journal, “Diane's Cars”, on Kings’ Avenue, Prestatyn, and “Busy Bee”, on River Street, Rhyl, confirmed in April that they were to become one business, known as “Diane’s Busy Bees”.
But on Friday 21 July, Diane’s Cars said that this arrangement will no longer be going ahead, and that it will instead merge with fellow Prestatyn firm “Roberts Taxis”, based on High Street.
A statement from Diane’s Cars read: “We have decided against the merger with Busy Bees.
“The people in Prestatyn were ultimately suffering, and after hearing lots of bad feedback, we have decided to focus on Prestatyn.
“We have decided to join forces with Roberts Taxis - two main Prestatyn taxis to join forces to become a bigger and much better service."
Source: https://www.rhyljournal.co.uk/news/23674392.prestatyn-taxi-firms-merge-one-splits-rhyl-partnership/
A private hire driver in Lincoln was granted a licence despite neglecting to reveal a previous speeding offence.
My Local Lincolnshire reports that the decision was reached by the City of Lincoln Council's Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Licensing Sub-Committee during a meeting in April.
Meeting notes show that the candidate submitted their application and documentation for a new private hire driver's licence in January, stating no previous convictions, cautions, or driving endorsements.
However, a DVLA check brought to light a speeding violation on a non-motorway road (technically known as an SP30 offence.)
Despite this, the applicant successfully completed the Driver Improvement Programme (DIP Test) on their first attempt with a low-risk score, and passed the knowledge test, scoring eight out of ten.
The report stated: "The Committee examined the applicant to determine whether or not he was a fit and proper person, in particular they asked him to explain his previous offences and the circumstances that led to them.
"The applicant gave good answers to the Sub-Committee’s questions, in particular, with regards to how he would handle difficult customers as a taxi driver and how he would safeguard customers."
Although the applicant was successful, the sub-committee decided to issue a sternly-worded letter stressing the importance of disclosing any future convictions or potential court proceedings.
The letter also warned that any further offences could result in the revocation of his private hire driver's licence.
During the same meeting, the Sub-Committee denied an application from another driver who had their licence previously revoked due to safeguarding concerns.
The driver appealed the revocation decision to the Magistrates' Court, but the appeal was unsuccessful.
Upon reapplication, a DVLA check revealed that the driver held a full UK driving licence, however, they carried three valid penalty points for an SP30 offence.
A taxi driver who touched a student's thigh has been handed a suspended prison sentence.
BristolLive reports that Safeer Ahmed was driving the woman home from a night out in Bristol, the city's crown court heard.
She alleged that in the course of the journey he reached from his driver's seat and touched her thigh up and down with two strokes.
Amed, 40, from Yate, near Bristol, still maintains his innocence after the incident in 2021. But a jury convicted him of sexual assault.
The recorder Mr Robin Sellers handed him an eight months' jail term suspended for 24 months.
Sentencing him on Friday 21 July, he told Ahmed: "You inappropriately touched the complainant on her thigh.
"You did so reaching over from your driver's seat in the taxi in which you were giving her a lift from a night out in Bristol with friends and I find she was in a vulnerable position as a lone female and after some alcohol.
"She is entitled to expect that somebody in your position conducts themself appropriately and you did not."
Ahmed was handed one-to-one rehabilitation and 100 hours' unpaid work. He was told to notify on the sex offenders' register for ten years.
James Haskell, prosecuting, read an impact statement from the complainant in which she said she was left feeling unable to use taxis alone and relies on lifts from friends or public transport.
Mr Haskell said she became depressed after the incident and did not eat properly.
Mr Haskell told the court: "She became unwell... Although she is slowly healing the incident has stayed with her."
Nikki Coombe, defending, said: "Mr Ahmed appreciates the perilous position that he is in. He is somebody who has no experience of custody.
"He is very soft-natured man who would be vulnerable in a prison setting. He's come to court today with a bag and the stress of a custodial sentence has been hanging over him since the conviction."
Miss Coombe told the court that her client had lost his taxi driver licence as a result of the conviction and was now a pizza delivery driver.
She said he was a sole provider for his family, struggling to meet monthly outgoings as well as the need to send money to his parents.
Miss Coombe said: "He could be punished in the community and also have rehabilitation. The offence was almost two years ago, it was not planned, it was opportunistic, it was very brief."
Source: https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/bristol-news/bristol-taxi-driver-who-stroked-8618768
A blind guide dog owner in Bromsgrove has called out taxi services after what he believes to be continued refusals to allow him and his guide dog to travel.
The Bromsgrove Standard reports that Jason Phillips, from Sidemoor in Bromsgrove, has been blind from a very young age and has said his chances of getting a taxi for him and his guide dog since Covid have become next to impossible.
Jason claims taxi companies blame the lack of drivers due to the changing industry as the reason for his troubles however he believes the taxi ranks are intentionally avoiding or denying his calls because of not wanting to deal with his guide dog and his disability.
He explained how he will always be upfront with taxi companies by detailing his needs and the necessity for his guide dog to travel with him, only to be given ‘the run around’.
According to Jason, taxi companies will initially accept his job but when he calls to check on the whereabouts of his taxi, he will be told that he didn’t inform the taxi company of his guide dog.
At this point taxi companies will claim they do not have enough drivers to fulfill his request, leaving him waiting longer or receiving no service at all.
In UK law it is illegal for taxi drivers to intentionally refuse to take a passenger and their guide dog – unless a medical exemption applies – yet charity Guide Dogs say at least 81% of guide dog owners have been illegally refused entry because of their dog.
Those statistics came from a study in 2022 carried out by the charity as part of the Open Doors Campaign to help end illegal access refusals experienced by guide dog owners.
During the study, of those 81% of people who had experienced an access refusal, 73% had experienced it within the last 12 months.
Research also showed that 49% of guide dog owners said they changed their plans or restricted visits to certain places because of fears of access refusal.
Jason said: “They aren’t honest with you about why they can’t accept the job, they just mess you about.
“If you’re blind people think they can spin you lies and get away with it.”
Clive Wood, policy and campaigns manager at Guide Dogs, said: “Guide dog owners deserve to be able to live the lives they want and feel confident, independent, and supported in the world.
“We’re educating businesses on the law and campaigning for government to strengthen it.”
Simon Wilkes, head of Worcestershire Regulatory Services (WRS) said: “Under the law taxis cannot normally refuse people with assistance dogs and all licensed taxi drivers and taxi operators have been made aware of their duties as licence holders.
“We’re aware of complaints made in Bromsgrove District, and we intend to carry out mystery shopper exercises to assess the issue, which is something we have also done elsewhere across the county.
“While drivers can apply for written exemptions on assistance dogs in certain circumstances, no licensed drivers in Bromsgrove currently have such an exemption so assistance dogs must normally be accepted.”
Portsmouth City Council will carry out a review into taxi accessibility after disability groups warned limited provision in the city was making even day-to-day journeys ‘fraught with uncertainty’.
At their meeting on Tuesday 18 July, councillors unanimously supported a motion proposed by Labour councillors Charlotte Gerada and Yinka Adeniran which makes a series of recommendations to improve access.
"I was horrified to hear stories of how difficult it was to book a taxi and how important hospital appointments were missed and how some managed to get to where they needed to go but then couldn’t secure a return ride and were standed and how some were even refused because of clear discrimination," Cllr Gerada said.
"In 2023 and in a city that prides itself on being inclusive, this is shocking and totally unacceptable."
Almost 17,000 people in Portsmouth are either disabled or have a long-term health condition that significantly impacts their day-to-day life. However, there are only 73 accessible taxis in the city and these are particularly in demand for getting people to and from school.
Speaking at the start of Tuesday’s meeting, Sharon Smithson, who has been disabled since birth and in a wheelchair for more than 30 years, said the industry was lagging behind.
"Having access to transport is such an important part of maintaining my independence," she said. "Whereas trains and buses are moving forward with accessibility, I have experienced problems with taxis in Portsmouth all my life and it does not seem to be improving. If anything, it is getting more challenging."
She said a taxi driver refused to take her after a night out with friends because "it would take too long to get the ramps out" and he could earn more money carrying other passengers.
Her comments were echoed by councillor Simon Bosher, the leader of the Conservative group and its transport spokesman, who said it was ‘nigh on impossible’ for people to get taxis in his ward of Drayton and Farlington.
"Fundamentally, there is something very wrong," he said. "Part of the problem is the deregulation of taxis which has led to all those taxis coming in from Wolverhampton which we have no control over.
"The licensing scenario of taxis in Portsmouth has become a little bit like the Wild West and the victims in all of that are disabled people and some of the elderly in the outlying areas."
Councillor Jason Fazackarley, chairman of the licensing committee, said he was happy to look into the issue but said the council only had limited control.
"These are private companies that operate for profit and they are struggling to make ends meet and many would struggle to afford a wheelchair-accessible vehicle," he said.
The motion will require his committee to carry out a review of licensing policy in the city, to consider ways of increasing the uptake of accessible vehicles, for the leaders of all political groups to meet members of the Portsmouth Disability Advisory Group and to invite the group’s members to the city’s Transport Liaison Group.
At least 14 cars have been damaged since June, with drivers suffering financial loss and emotional distress.
The attack happened at around 12.45pm on Etruria Vale Road, Stoke, when the victim, driving a Toyota Avensis, was punched in the face by one of the men.
Cumberland Council has taken decisive action to protect public safety by revoking the licence of a taxi driver charged last week with a serious racially aggravated offence.
A historic bridge has been closed indefinitely after an Uber car became wedged on Saturday morning.
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).