An application for a taxi licence was denied by Blackpool Council's Public Protection Sub-Committee after checks revealed past convictions for violence and dishonesty.

The applicant, who was not publicly named, failed to disclose these offences on their application form.

"The convictions revealed were of a serious and concerning nature," stated the minutes from the private committee meeting.

The applicant, who attended the hearing, explained that they wanted to earn a living as a taxi driver to support their family.

They attributed the failure to disclose the convictions to a "misunderstanding" due to English not being their first language.

The applicant claimed that their past behaviour was no longer reflective of their character. However, the sub-committee ultimately decided to deny the application for a private hire driver's licence.

In a separate case from the same meeting held on December 6th, another applicant was granted a private hire licence, but with a severe warning letter attached.

This individual had four convictions for seven separate offences between May 2010 and March 2015, with dangerous driving offences from 2015 being a particular concern.

The applicant stated that their last offence occurred nearly ten years ago and that they had successfully worked as a taxi driver in another local authority area for the past two years without any issues.

The sub-committee, considering their recent driving history and the absence of any issues in their previous role, deemed the applicant suitable to hold a licence in Blackpool.

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St Albans Police is investigating an assault on a taxi driver that occurred on Saturday, November 30th, 2024, between 11:20pm and 11:28pm on Beaconsfield Road.

According to reports, an intoxicated passenger argued with the taxi driver before assaulting him and damaging his vehicle. The driver fortunately sustained no injuries.

"The man then got out of the vehicle and punched the window, causing damage to the frame," a police spokesperson said.

This image of a man believed to be connected to the incident was released by St Albans Police.

No arrests have been made thus far, and the investigation is ongoing.

The police spokesperson added: "Following an appeal for information, it can sometimes take time to identify a suspect, and there is no guarantee of an arrest."

Members of the public with information are urged to contact St Albans Police by reporting online at herts.police.uk/report, using the online web chat at herts.police.uk/contact, or calling the non-emergency number 101 and quoting crime reference 41/101790/24.

Alternatively, information can be provided anonymously through the independent charity Crimestoppers at 0800 555 111 or via their online form at crimestoppers-uk.org.

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Manchester Airport is facing criticism after a taxi driver was threatened with a £100 fine for picking up three disabled passengers at the terminal drop-off zone.

The incident, which was filmed and shared on social media, involved a driver from Nolan Airport Service who was collecting three elderly women with mobility issues.

The women were unable to easily reach the designated pick-up area located in a nearby car park, all of them possess blue badges.

"I asked a marshal if we would be okay to pick them up from the T3 drop off area when they came back, and he said it would be alright due to their disabilities," explained John Nolan, owner of the taxi firm.

"Then, on Sunday, my driver went to pick them up from the terminal drop-off zone, believing he was acting within reason given the passengers' disabilities, where he was confronted by airport marshals.

"He told them he was picking up three disabled ladies, to which he was told it would be a £100 fine."

The video, shared by Mr. Nolan, shows the driver arguing with marshals, stating: "They are disabled, there's three of them, and now they are going to have to get out because of these guys over here.

"She can barely walk and you're going to make them go to level three, yeah?"

Taxi firm owner John added: "They actually allowed him to put the ladies into the car in the end after saying he wasn't allowed to pick them up, and told him to drive to the T3 car park and back out again. My driver said it was clear they were disabled. 

"It's scandalous. There were four or five marshals around him on that video, it was completely unnecessary. 

"The main issue is just the lack of compassion and common sense, with three old dears who can barely walk. You can see on the video one of the ladies even struggles to get out of the car."

Mr. Nolan slammed the airport's rules as "senseless" and lacking "compassion and common sense."

He emphasised the women's difficulty walking and the unnecessary stress caused by the incident.

Manchester Airport defended its policy, stating that drop-off zones are for dropping off passengers only and that designated pick-up areas with longer dwell times are available for passenger collection.

"Passengers being picked up after a flight, including those with reduced mobility, should use our designated pick-up areas," said a spokesperson. "

"A charge of £6.20 applies to these areas in order for us to make sure they are not misused."

The airport maintains that its reduced mobility teams are available to assist passengers with navigating the airport and reaching the designated pick-up zones.

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A Los Angeles tech entrepreneur experienced a terrifying ordeal last month when the Waymo autonomous vehicle he was riding in became trapped in a repetitive loop.

Mike Johns, en route to Phoenix airport, found himself circling a parking lot eight times as the vehicle malfunctioned.

Despite frantic calls to Waymo, he was unable to stop the vehicle, leading to a frightening and disorienting experience.

“I’ve got my seat belt on. I can’t get out of the car. Has this been hacked? What’s going on?” he can be heard telling a Waymo representative in a video he posted to LinkedIn.

“I feel like I’m in the movies. Is somebody playing a joke on me? And I’ve got a flight to catch.”

While initially suspecting a prank having a lot of clever friends working in tech, the continued looping confirmed a serious software glitch.

He became dizzy as it continued circling the lot and described the experience as "like a scene in a sci-fi thriller," highlighting concerns about the potential for unforeseen malfunctions in autonomous vehicles.

Waymo acknowledged the incident, attributing it to a software issue that has since been resolved through a scheduled update.

The company reimbursed Johns for the ride, but the incident raises questions about the safety and reliability of autonomous driving technology.

Johns, while not deterred from future use of driverless cars, emphasised the need for further development and refinement of these systems to ensure passenger safety and a more seamless user experience.

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Black cab drivers are up in arms over the new cab rank at Euston station, claiming it is "virtually impossible" to access due to poor design.

The rank, situated in front of the station, is inaccessible for many cabs arriving from the west on Euston Road.

Drivers are forced to make lengthy detours or potentially dangerous U-turns to reach the rank, leading to significant delays and leaving passengers stranded for hours, particularly during peak times.

The Licensed Taxi Drivers' Association (LTDA) argues that this disproportionately affects vulnerable passengers, such as the elderly and disabled, who are often left waiting while more able-bodied passengers hail cabs from the street.

Steve McNamara of the LTDA highlights the absurdity of the situation: "The solution is simple. We used to be able to turn left into Church Way.

Lifting that prohibition would solve the problem. But it's a bureaucratic nightmare. TfL blames Camden, Camden blames HS2, and so on. It's like a Monty Python sketch."

This issue arises amidst the ongoing redevelopment of Euston station to accommodate the HS2 high-speed rail line.

The project, plagued by years of delays and disruptions, has displaced numerous homes and businesses. While the current Labour government has reaffirmed its commitment to HS2, the final design for the redeveloped area, including provisions for affordable housing and businesses, remains unclear.

Transport for London (TfL) acknowledges the concerns raised by the LTDA and maintains that it is committed to addressing the taxi accessibility issue.

However, the lack of a swift resolution leaves drivers and passengers facing ongoing frustration and inconvenience.

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