Taxi fares will rise by around 12% at the end of the month to reflect "rising costs" for drivers after a deal was reached with the Infrastructure Minister.
The Bailiwick Express reports that the maximum that a taxi can charge is defined each year by the Infrastructure Minister using a tailored RPI for the trade – a measure of inflation which takes in relevant costs such as fuel, insurance and vehicle maintenance.
It is calculated each year based on the March rate, which is published at the end of April. The headline rate then was 12.7% but the taxi rate has been set at 12.1%.
The rate was proposed by the minister, Deputy Tom Binet, at a meeting with drivers last week, with all private hire firms and representatives attending, including the Jersey Taxi Drivers’ Association.
The minister had the power to propose any rate he wished but Deputy Binet went with the established formula.
It will apply to all 270 plate holders in Jersey, a figure that has fallen by about 40 drivers since 2020.
JTDA Secretary and Treasurer Mick Tostevin said: “The taxi RPI has been the agreed standard for more than 15 years – some years we might not get any increase but this year the rate clearly reflects the rising costs we are all facing.
“I was talking to a driver recently who said that a quarter of his takings are now spent on fuel alone.”
Mr Tostevin explained that although the rate is a maximum increase, it would be applied to all meters as they have to be opened up, reset and then sealed.
Drivers, however, always had the discretion to offer discounts when it came to payment, he added.
Private hire tariffs are not determined by the Minister, although firms set fares based on a percentage of their choosing above the taxi RPI rate. This percentage lift has to be displayed in the cab.
After setting the public rank rate, Deputy Binet said: "At the meeting last week, I talked about the importance of remaining competitive.
“I urge all drivers and firms to look closely at their business models to keep themselves competitive.”
Asked about his relationship with drivers, he said: “It is relatively early days and I am trying to develop a constructive relationship with them. I would say it has got off to a good start.
“I think it is fair to say that they are straight-talking, but so am I, so hopefully we can continue to find common ground.”
The relationship between government and the taxi trade has been frosty in the past, particularly between 2015 and 2017, when the then-Infrastructure Minister Eddie Noel introduced reforms which brought in a ‘one-tier’ system that allowed, among other things, private taxis to pick up passengers from public ranks, and rank taxis to take private bookings.
Deputy Binet signed a Ministerial Decision paving the way for the inflation-linked rise in taxi fares on Tuesday 4 July.
Although agreement has been reached on fares this year, taxi drivers continue to call on the Government and authorities to do more to police the unregulated trade of paid-for lifts obtained through social media.
Source: https://www.bailiwickexpress.com/jsy/news/taxi-fares-increase-121-end-month/
A Bradford cabbie who raped a passenger while she was almost unconscious has been jailed for nine years.
YorkshireLive reports that Assad Khan, who had worked as a taxi driver for over 20 years, even used his victim’s bank card to steal £250 from her account instead of withdrawing just the £25 for the fare when they stopped at a cashpoint machine during the journey in the early hours.
A judge at Bradford Crown Court said on Wednesday 5 July, after taking the woman to her home, Khan then “barged” his way in uninvited and while she was almost unconscious on the sofa, he raped her.
After the attack last year, 55-year-old Khan used the woman’s key to lock the front door and then posted it back through the letterbox.
When the horrified victim later woke up, she said she felt disgusted but initially she was too embarrassed to tell anyone what had happened.
A few days later however, Khan, from Clayton, turned up on her doorstep and tried to defend his actions saying she could get him into trouble.
Recorder Ben Nolan KC said he had no doubt that Khan was trying to find out if she could remember what had happened and try to persuade her not to take any action citing his need to keep his job.
The court heard the woman did report the attack to the police and when Khan was arrested, he claimed she had consented.
A week before he was due to stand trial this year, Khan, who is married with four children, finally pleaded guilty to charges of rape and theft which meant his victim no longer faced a distressing cross-examination in a court.
In a victim impact statement read to the judge by the complainant at a previous court hearing, the woman branded Khan “an utterly selfish and repugnant human being”.
Khan’s barrister Michael Collins outlined details of his mental health difficulties which related back to a tragic house fire when the defendant was just ten. He submitted that Khan had been untreated for years, but in a letter to the judge he had expressed genuine remorse for his offending.
Mr Collins said: “He looks back with shame and misunderstanding at his own conduct. He can’t help as to why he committed the offence.”
Recorder Nolan noted that one consultant psychiatrist believed that Khan was feigning symptoms and exaggerating his behaviour. The judge said Khan had shown “criminal guile” in carrying out the offence and he had abused his position of trust as a taxi driver.
Khan will have to register as a sex offender with the police for the rest of his life and he will also have to comply with an indefinite sexual harm prevention order.
Recorder Nolan also imposed a lifelong restraining order which bans Khan from having any future contact with the woman.
Source: https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/news/west-yorkshire-news/repugnant-taxi-driver-raped-barely-27261444
Taxi drivers have warned that proposed 20mph speed limits in parts of Wantage, Oxfordshire, will increase journey times.
While cab firms in and around the town acknowledged the safety benefits of the speed reduction, some claimed slower traffic could affect their business.
A consultation has been launched by Oxfordshire County Council on the proposed 20mph limits, which would cover most of the town centre while peripheral roads would remain at 30mph.
To access the consultation, visit: https://bit.ly/46ANPQE
A driver for Grove Cabs, who asked not to be named, said: “We’re not overpleased because a lot of it is unnecessary.
“If you have a walk around, you will see pedestrians with earphones who haven’t got a clue about what’s going on around them. Maybe they should show more awareness.
“Motorists are being punished all the time. Sometimes it's deserved and sometimes it isn’t. 20mph is important where it is necessary, but it’s not always necessary.
“If they scatter them all over the place, it will have a big impact. It means it will take longer and longer to get anywhere.
“We normally allow 15 minutes to get to a place and pick up, but if the limit is brought in, it could become 20 minutes. That five minutes can make a difference.”
Steven Gills said the limits would increase journey time for his taxi service Webb’s of Wantage, but admitted there would also be benefits.
“It’s a difficult one,” he said. “It will take us longer to do the jobs, but at the same time there’s less chance of one of my vehicles getting banged, or at least the damage will be less significant.
“It won’t affect us too much, as long as the people that currently drive at 20 in a 30 don’t start driving at 10 in a 20.”
But Simon Jeffreys, who runs Secure Car Services in town, didn’t think the limits would affect his business at all.
He said: “It won’t make much of a difference in the town centre because people aren’t really flying around the town square at 30mph.
“It’s needed at the periphery, such as the A338.”
The plans are part of the council’s three-year scheme to introduce 20mph speeds as the new 30mph for communities where there is local support.
Wantage Town Council applied to bring in the 20mph limits.
Mayor Angela Dunford said: “There’s a growing need to reduce the speeds of traffic through town and it’s really important we consider pedestrians and cyclists and make sure the speed of traffic is safe.”
The deadline for responses is July 28.
The council will review the responses, and, if objections are received, will present a report to Andrew Gant, cabinet member for highway management, at a meeting later this year.
A county council spokesman said: "We would urge anyone with opinions about the proposed 20mph speed limits in Wantage to take part in the consultation.
"All feedback will be considered as part of the decision-making process."
Frustrated taxi drivers have branded promises from rail bosses that they will consider removing stones from Clydebank train station as “all words, no action”.
In May the Clydebank Post reported that red chipping stones could be removed from the platform following several incidents of vandalism amid a rise of anti-social behaviour in the town.
The news came as little comfort to the 85 members of the Clydebank Taxi Operators and Drivers Trade [CTODT] who told the Post they are fed up and are calling for urgent action to be taken before someone is hurt.
Charles Murray, chairman of CTODT, explained the issue has been ongoing at the Alexander Street rank for around eight years.
He said: “The kids come up here and hold the train doors, they know full well if they jump on the train they won’t get caught.
“They stand at the side of the bridge and fire stones at the Co-op, the buses, taxis, and people passing by.
“If a stone smashes our window that’s £75 to £100 each time to get it replaced, plus your time off the road.
“Your livelihood is affected because if you can’t get it fixed that day due to stock issues or whatever you could be off the road for a week.
“That’s a week's wages, plus excess, and you’ve not always got £100 to spare. When they’re up there throwing stones down they know exactly what they’re doing.
“But who is liable? You phone up a number for Network Rail and they’ll say ‘It’s nothing to do with us, it’s British Transport Police [BTP] you need to go to’.
“The two of them just pass the buck to each other, they’re constantly back and forth.
"I told them this has been going on for eight years so why has nothing been done?
Just two weeks ago Charles and another driver were parked on Alexander Street when they were reportedly pelted with stones.
He said incidents like this have forced drivers to “abandon” the rank around twice a week due to safety concerns.
James Dylan, who is also a taxi driver in Clydebank, raised similar fears last year after youngsters smashed the back window of his car.
He added: “It was frightening. If I had had anyone in here that whole window would have come straight in and hit them, it hit me when it shattered.
“This has happened twice now, the first time it was my windshield. When I reported the issue via the help point at the station I was told the cameras wouldn’t have caught it as they’re not facing that way.
“The person on the intercom also said they [ScotRail] won’t remove the stones because they are there for show.
“Three weeks ago I was chatting to another driver and they just leathered us with stones.
"The kids know nothing happens when you report it which is why they’re doing it.
“I’m worried about people being injured. I mean I came down here one Saturday morning and the whole road was littered with stones, they’ve just flung everything down.
“We need action, this has to be dealt with, we've had enough.”
Alasdair McWhirter, Chief Inspector at BTP, said: “British Transport Police are aware of reports of stones being thrown from the platform at Clydebank train station.
“We have zero tolerance of anti-social behaviour on Scotland’s rail network. Our officers continue to conduct patrols at stations and onboard trains in the area to apprehend those engaging in unacceptable behaviour.
“We also continue to engage with the local community in Clydebank. Our officers have been visiting local schools to educate young people on the dangers of inappropriate behaviour at stations.
“Scotland’s travelling public can expect to see an increased police presence in the area and witnesses to incidents, or anyone with information, are urged to speak to officers or to text 61016.”
Stephen Elliot, ScotRail security and crime manager, added: “ScotRail works very closely with BTP to ensure that Scotland’s Railway is a safe environment for our customers, and our own people.
“This includes involvement in multi-agency initiatives to clamp down on anti-social behaviour, the introduction of our Travel Safe Team, and the rollout of body-worn cameras which deter and prevent incidents from escalating.
“We will continue to work with the British Transport Police and Police Scotland to clamp down on unacceptable behaviour and bring anyone responsible to justice.”
A new app has been launched allowing people in Guernsey to book a taxi for their journeys.
It was one of the recommendations made after last year’s Taxi and Private Hire Car Review. It is hoped that the app will allow islanders to have more convenient access to taxis, reduce the amount of “dead mileage” through wasted journeys and improve the taxi experience across the island.
The app launched on Monday 3 July, and every taxi driver on the island is expected to sign up by the time their licences are renewed in January 2024.
The President of Guernsey’s Environment and Infrastructure Committee, Deputy Lindsay de Sausmarez, said: “There is strong customer demand from islanders and an expectation from visitors that this kind of app is available in Guernsey.
“The independently authored Taxi and Private Hire Car Review highlighted that the provision of a booking app for taxis is vital for the future of the sector.”
Those in the industry have welcomed the announcement. Nicki Bessin, Head of the Guernsey Taxi Drivers Association, said: “The GTDA has been working with Driver and Vehicles Licensing for the last seven months, looking at ways in which a taxi app could be developed and implemented in Guernsey.
“Taxi apps have been successful in many other regions of the world, and it has been a growing requirement for the technology to be brought to us here in Guernsey.
“We are pleased the new Guernsey taxi app has been launched in time for the Natwest International Island Games and we hope the scheme will be adopted positively by the the industry as well as the consumer.”
Taxi drivers have since given the app the green light and praised it for its ease of use and convenience. So far there are 64 drivers using the app.
Ian Vaudin, of Donkey Taxis Ltd, signed up last week, and thought it was a great idea.
"I think it has the potential to be a really great tool," he said.
"The best example of it working for me was this weekend, where I got two jobs from passengers who had just arrived at the airport as I happened to be driving nearby. The timing couldn’t have been better."
Mr Vaudin added: "We will have to give the app some time and see how it pans out. The subscription fee will be about £13 per month, I think, once Environment & Infrastructure stop funding it, but I think the amount will depend on how popular the app becomes."
Gary Reynolds, of Gareth’s Taxis Guernsey, was glad that the island was embracing modern technology.
"There are lots of benefits. For example, if I’m fully booked, but have a slot become free suddenly, then I can just go on the app and see if there is anyone nearby who needs a taxi.
"Anything that provides us with more business I’m in favour of. I wish the app every success, I hope it will be easier for people to use instead of calling loads of phone lines."
Russell Lewis, of Taxi4U Guernsey, said that the app would benefit the customer as much as drivers.
"I had a customer last week who was visiting the island, and they said that they always look for taxi apps as soon as they arrive in a new place as it’s convenient," he said.
"I’ve also had it where I’ve been nearby to someone using the app to request a taxi and have been able to be with them in three or four minutes."
He was pleased that the app was up and running in time for the Island Games.
Source: https://guernseypress.com/news/2023/07/05/app-makes-a-big-difference-say-taxi-drivers/
Police have stopped a private hire driver who was driving the wrong way on the M1 close to Junction 8 at Hemel Hempstead.
Newcastle City Council is set to introduce strict new measures to tackle illegal and inconsiderate parking near Newcastle International Airport.
West Mercia Police is appealing for information following a rape that took place in Malvern's Priory Park early on Sunday, August 4th.
Glasgow taxi users could be facing a near-10% fare increase and extended night-time charges.
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.