Taxi drivers have been stopped for vehicle safety checks in a successful operation between Telford & Wrekin Council and West Mercia Police.
The stops were carried out to check if the vehicles were safe and displaying the correct signage and the drivers were wearing their identity badges.
Four taxis pulled over were licensed by a neighbouring authority and three were found to have faults.
One had a worn tyre and the driver was given three penalty points and a £100 fine. His licence was also suspended until the tyres were replaced.
A Telford & Wrekin Council licensed taxi that was stopped passed the checks with no issues found.
Councillor Richard Overton (Lab) deputy leader and cabinet member for homes & enforcement said: “Our enforcement officers accompanied West Mercia Police on a vehicle stop exercise where a number of vehicles, including taxis, were pulled over at Queen Elizabeth Avenue car park, Hollinswood.
“As a result, we issued fines or had vehicles taken off the road because of damage. These checks ensure that taxis meet the council’s rigorous standards and legal requirements.
"We were checking that plates and licences were displayed correctly, that tyres were correct and safe and drivers were wearing appropriate identification.
“It’s great to see how partnership working has come together with the aim of discouraging drivers from breaking the law, maintaining safety on our roads and reassuring the public.”
A drunken thug who launched a tirade of racist abuse at a cabbie before dragging him from his car by his beard and attacking him was too drunk to carry out his attempted robbery.
The Northern Echo reports that Robert Hood carried out the vile attack as he became increasingly abusive as the taxi driver took him home on Christmas Day after spending the day drinking.
The 38-year-old initially attempted to punch the man through the Covid screen in the taxi before dragging him out and punching him and kicking him while he was prone on the ground.
Teesside Crown Court heard how the victim was left traumatised and unable to sleep properly after he was violently attacked.
Judge Jonathan Carroll locked up Hood for a total of six years after he was found guilty of attempted robbery and racially aggravated assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
He said: “It is clear to me that you had ordered your taxi to get home without any means or intention to pay. You had been consuming alcohol and it may have clouded your judgement.
“As he drove into your street, your demeanour changed, you became aggressive – you attempted to hit him through the covid screen which was fitted at the time.
“When you exited the taxi, whatever had started to build up a head of steam, managed to burst into outright violence.
“You dragged him out of his taxi by his beard. You hurled racist abuse at him due to his Asian origin and at that same time you were demanding he hand over money.
“While he was on the ground, you were kicking and punching him to his torso and face.”
The court had heard how Hood had claimed that he was going to pay for the taxi but the judge did not accept that was his intention and told the defendant it was only his drunken state that prevented him carrying out the robbery.
He added: “I want to make it clear that whilst this was an attempted robbery, it was so close to a meaningful attempt, it was your own drunkenness which meant you weren’t able to take money from the driver.
Hood, from Middlesbrough, was found guilty of both charges following a trial at Teesside Crown Court following the attack on Christmas Day, 2020.
Merseyside's premier private hire operator, Britannia Taxis, has joined forces with Veezu.
The acquisition opens new horizons for Britannia, promising an elevated private hire experience for its driver-partners and their passengers.
Launched in 2013, Veezu has an impressive history of growing its national footprint. The firm invests heavily in data, technology and infrastructure to ensure that regional private hire operators, like Britannia Taxis, remain deeply ingrained within their communities without compromising the passenger experience.
Jimmy Aden, Managing Director of Britannia Taxis, expressed his enthusiasm, saying: "From our humble beginnings as a family-run enterprise, Britannia Taxis has flourished into a company with access to an impressive fleet of more than 500 skilled driver-partners across Merseyside and Greater Manchester.
"We take immense pride in helping the movement of people within our communities.
"We are tremendously excited about joining Veezu and the future of Britannia Taxis. I have utmost confidence in joining forces with a larger enterprise that prioritises local interests and invests in improving the driver-partner experience."
Nathan Bowles, CEO of Veezu, warmly welcomed the addition of Jimmy Aden and Britannia Taxis to the Veezu Group, stating: "I extend a heartfelt welcome to Jimmy and the entire Britannia Taxis team as they join forces with Veezu. Britannia Taxis has earned a well-deserved reputation for excellence in Merseyside and Greater Manchester.
"Our appetite for growth shows no signs of wavering.
"Britannia Taxis follows the successful acquisition of City Taxis in Sheffield in March of this year, both which complement our coverage in West Yorkshire through Amber Cars to help create a strong network of operators in the North.
"Our vision of delivering #smarterlocalrides to communities nationwide is quickly becoming reality."
One in three taxis in Denbighshire have defects, according to a council spot-check procedure.
Outside the usual vehicle compliance testing, ad-hoc checks were conducted on 106 taxis at a variety of locations, including schools, taxi ranks, and at the roadside.
The Ryl Journal reports that the checks revealed that one-third, or 33%, of taxis had defects.
The revelation was made at a recent Denbighshire County Council licensing meeting when officer Ian Millington updated members of the licensing committee.
Mr Millington said: “Enforcement officers were out and about, conducting checks on schools, vehicle ranks, taxi ranks, and at the roadside.
“106 vehicles were stopped. We had a third of those with defects.
“Now that is quite a lot, but it should be remembered that a lot of the defects related to minor non-safety aspects, things such as the fire extinguisher being out of date."
At the same meeting, councillors learned Denbighshire Council had received 20 taxi-related complaints during the last year.
The complaints varied from unlicensed or non-compliant vehicles, illegal parking, careless driving, abusive and inappropriate behaviour, and smoking in a cab.
The committee was told either appropriate action was taken or that the matters were ongoing.
The committee also learned that one driver had their licence revoked and another had their licence suspended.
During the year officers issued 23 vehicle suspension notices.
Whilst some of these related to compliance failures at programmed inspections or roadside checks, others were because of collisions or vehicles awaiting repairs.
The committee heard that there are 219 hackney carriage vehicles in Denbighshire, ten of which are wheelchair accessible, and 49 private hire vehicles, ten of which are also wheelchair accessible.
Source: https://www.rhyljournal.co.uk/news/23605185.one-three-denbighshire-taxis-defects/
New proposals aimed at resolving a long-running controversy over sweeping reforms to the taxi trade in Bolton have been made.
According to The Bolton News, the Minimum Licensing Standards reforms have met stiff opposition from taxi drivers across Bolton in recent months and years over fears that a maximum age requirement on cars could force them off the road.
But the proposals, which also include a common livery and emissions policy, are now set to come back before Bolton Council’s cabinet next week with several crucial differences.
Council leader Cllr Nick Peel said: “In a nutshell, there’s three changes to MLS which we're proposing. The three changes amount to sticking with the current age policy in place.
“We’re not convinced on a maximum age and when you’ve got taxis in Bolton registered to Wolverhampton or wherever else, the argument that the age of taxis is somehow a problem specifically in Bolton doesn’t stack up.”
He added: “The second is that we’re keeping the livery policy as it is so there’ll be no common livery and thirdly we’ve pushed back the new emissions policy from 2028 to 2030.”
The previous proposal, which would have come into force all across Greater Manchester, would have demanded that taxi vehicles be no more than five years old on first registration and have been on the road for less than ten years to avoid a charge.
There had also been proposals that all taxis be outfitted with a common yellow livery all over the city region, which drivers feared could have made them targets for vandals.
But now the new proposals will mean no maximum age, while the changes to liveries will also be scrapped.
After repeated protests and debates, Cllr Peel said that he hoped the changes coming to cabinet next week will finally help resolve the impasse.
He said: “The previous administration at the council has been kicking this around for a few years now.
“What we want now is to stop drivers from being treated like a political football and really put this issue to bed.”
The proposals will be discussed at a meeting of Bolton Council’s cabinet on Monday June 26.
Artur Nowostawski has been jailed for six years and nine months after he attacked a taxi driver earlier this year.
Taxi drivers in the city are facing significant financial losses after a series of electric vehicle charging point failures left them unable to operate.
Police are appealing for help to trace a man who disappeared after getting into a taxi bound for the Otley area of Leeds.
The company’s operator licence includes a condition ordering all drivers to undergo the same training as those from other companies.
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.