A plea for taxi drivers in East Lothian to come together and establish a new association has been made as the local authority approved new licence fees for the trade.
The East Lothian Courier reports that East Lothian Council’s Labour administration cabinet approved a revised list of licence charges on 14 May, which will see taxi and private hire drivers pay more.
During the meeting, cabinet member Councillor Colin McGinn appealed to the county’s taxi drivers to step forward and make sure that their views were heard over future fees.
He said: “In the years I have been on the licensing sub-committee, I have been calling for a taxi driver association in East Lothian to help the council understand their needs.
“It is in their interest and I am making a plea to drivers and taxi owners to come forward. I am sure we could help get one up and running.”
Cabinet gave the go-ahead to changes to licence fees which were proposed after comparing costs with other local authorities.
It means that the cost of private hire driver licences are set to increase from £149 to £259 and taxi drivers face a rise from £149 to £207.
Cabinet also approved an alternative three-year licence for taxi drivers which will cost £310 and will be available after they have held a one-year licence, which could reduce future costs.
An Edinburgh cabbie is set to have his licence revoked by the council after being deemed "no longer fit and proper" to continue operating in the city.
EdinburghLive reports that after council officers investigated several complaints against John Johnstone, they recommended that the Licensing Sub-Committee make the decision to cancel his licence during this week's meeting.
The meeting's agenda states that several passengers have made official complaints against Mr Johnstone as well as instances of non-compliance with licence conditions also being investigated.
In November 2020, concerns were raised by Police Scotland on the basis of aggressive behaviour and repeated inappropriate parking outside the plush Balmoral Hotel in the city centre.
At the time, the committee decided to take no further action.
In October 2021 the Committee considered a further request for suspension of licence from Police Scotland on the basis of disregard for the safety of other road users and repeated inappropriate parking outside the Balmoral Hotel by Mr Johnstone.
The committee issued Mr Johnstone with a final warning with respect to his future conduct.
On February 7, 2023, a routine compliance check on taxi and private hire vehicles within the city centre found Mr Johnstone parked inappropriately outside the Balmoral Hotel. Mr Johnstone was asked to produce his identify card, which he was unable to do.
Officers also noted that Mr Johnstone was not complying with the required standards of dress, in that he was wearing training shoes.
On June 9, 2023, the Licensing Service received a complaint from a Balmoral Hotel concierge which alleged that while inappropriately parked outside the hotel Mr Johnstone had displayed aggressive behaviour while acting as a taxi driver. This complaint was put to Mr Johnstone, and he replied by email on June 13, 2023, to deny the allegation.
On June 13, 2023, a member of the public contacted the Licensing Service regarding concerns about a journey made in a licensed taxi being driven by Mr Johnstone. The basis of the complaint was that Mr Johnstone had initially failed to deliver the passenger to her destination - stopping at Lawnmarket instead of the Castle Esplanade - and had used inappropriate language when she insisted on being taken closer to the specified destination.
On February 6, 2024, a member of the public contacted the Licensing Service alleging that Mr Johnstone had displayed poor driving behaviour while inappropriately parked outside the Balmoral Hotel while acting as a taxi driver. This complaint was put to Mr Johnstone, and he replied by email on February 8, 2023, to deny the allegations.
The fourth complaint was made just weeks later, on February 18, when a concierge at the Balmoral Hotel yet again raised concerns about Mr Johnstone's conduct while inappropriately parked outside the premises. The complaint alleged poor driving behaviour by the driver and it was once again denied by Mr Johnstone.
The report's recommendation states: "The Directorate is of the view that a hearing under paragraph 11 of the 1982 Act is required given that there are now four separate complaints about Mr Johnstone’s conduct in relation to driving behaviour and passengers, and the apparent breach of licence condition detected during a routine compliance check.
"It is noted that previous corrective advice does not appear to have worked. It is recommended that the licence is suspended on the grounds that Mr Johnstone is no longer a fit and proper person to be the holder of the licence and/or that a condition of licence has been breached."
Source: https://www.edinburghlive.co.uk/news/edinburgh-news/edinburgh-taxi-driver-faces-losing-29184226
Taxi drivers have raised concerns at the costs they could face to meet new minimum emission targets set for their cars.
CambridgeshireLive reports that Huntingdonshire District Council has agreed to set a minimum emission standard that the taxis it licenses have to meet.
The district council will require any new driver applying for a taxi licence to have a car that meets a minimum Euro 6 emission standard, or is a hybrid or fully electric car.
For taxi drivers looking to renew their licence their car should meet a minimum of Euro 5 emission standard.
The district council said restricting the relicensing of Euro 4 cars would mean more taxis would have to be replaced with lower polluting vehicles. However, some taxi drivers raised concerns that this change could place a “sudden financial burden” on them to change their car.
One driver said: “As a taxi driver predominantly stationed at the Huntingdon Station rank, the sustainability of my seven seater wheelchair accessible vehicle directly impacts my financial stability.
“This vehicle not only serves as my primary income source, but also affords me the flexibility to attend to my young family’s needs, including school engagements and appointments.
"The potential loss of my taxi due to the proposed regulations would not only pose a financial setback, but also impose exploring alternative avenues of support, potentially through government benefits.
“Additionally, the current economic downturn, compounded by the existing recession in the UK, increases the challenges faced by self-employed individuals like myself.
"Abrupt implementations of these regulations would render my vehicle unsuitable for licensing elsewhere or for private sale due to its age and mileage, consequently depreciating its value significantly.”
At a meeting of the district council’s licensing and protection committee on 15 May, officers said they understood the cost concerns being raised by some of the taxi drivers. They said in recognition of this they were proposing to push back the date for existing drivers to meet the new minimum emission standard to 2025, rather than this year.
Councillor Jeff Clarke raised concerns that by moving to a minimum emission standard the authority could be ‘setting some drivers up to fail’. The licensing officers highlighted that the Euro 5 emission standard was the requirement set for all new cars made in 2011, with Euro 6 becoming mandatory standard in 2016.
They said the change from the existing five year rule to the minimum emission standard would actually “widen the scope” of cars available for drivers.
Councillor Stephen Ferguson said he thought the change was a “sensible measure” and highlighted Euro 5 cars could still be up to 13 years old.
He also highlighted that the authority was not proposing to mandate taxi drivers to switch to a hybrid or fully electric car, as he said he did not think that was yet sustainable for taxi drivers in rural areas.
The district council has also agreed a change requiring a taxi driver running a car that is eight years or older to get it checked at a garage every six months.
Some taxi operators in the area had opposed this change arguing it would add “unnecessary costs”.
However, licensing officers said they were seeing a “significant number” of taxis failing their compliance checks, and that a lot of the taxis failing were older cars.
Councillor Simon Bywater said it was a “shame” the requirement would add an additional cost to some taxi drivers, but said it was a “sensible approach” to make sure the cars are safe.
Source: https://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/news/local-news/taxi-drivers-raise-cost-concerns-29183851
An Epsom cabbie has been jailed for four months and banned from driving for six months after failing to stop when he hit a pedestrian who died after the crash.
News Shopper reports that in the early hours of Sunday, May 21, 2023, Farid Cheheb was driving his taxi when he struck 44-year-old Shane Scannell on South Street, Epsom.
Shane suffered serious injuries, including a traumatic head injury and later died in hospital.
Cheheb, 66, did not stop at the scene and he later claimed he had hit a fox, not a person.
A Forensic Collision Investigator who reconstructed the accident using all the available evidence determined Cheheb should have realised he had struck a person, not an animal.
The damage to his car was consistent with him hitting a pedestrian and Shane would have been visible to him from more than 10 metres away.
Detective Inspector Ben Grilli said: “This was a challenging investigation where there were no witnesses to the actual collision and the vehicle did not stop at the scene.
“It is a testament to the effort put into this investigation that the vehicle was located and a person prosecuted.
“Although the CPS were not satisfied that we could suitably evidence the manner of driving that led to the collision, it is a sign of the amount of evidence secured that the driver received a custodial sentence for a minor summary offence.
“We know that the sentence will provide little comfort to the family, but we hope the sentence will provide an element of closure.”
In June last year the family of Shane Scannell paid tribute to a “son, brother, and uncle, who was loved by so many.”
Source: https://www.newsshopper.co.uk/news/24319865.epsom-south-street-taxi-driver-jailed-fatal-hit-run/
A private hire driver is more than £200 out of pocket after refusing to let an assistance dogs ride in his cab.
The MK Citizen reports that two passengers, each accompanied by their dogs, had booked his PHV, but Sayid Ahmed Dahir turned them away.
As a result the people were left stranded, the court was told.
They complained to Milton Keynes City Council, whose officers promptly launched a prosecution.
Mr Dahir, from New Bradwell, pleaded guilty at Milton Keynes Magistrates’ Court to refusing to take the assistance dogs.
The incident happened in September 2023, the court heard.
The driver was fined £67 and must pay £350 costs plus a £27 victim surcharge.
Mr Dahir’s licence will also be reviewed by Buckinghamshire Council in accordance with its policies.
Cllr Mick Legg, Milton Keynes City Council Cabinet member responsible for Regulatory Services, said: “This licensed driver left two customers with their Assistance Dogs stranded and has therefore had to face the full weight of the law.”
He added: “ Milton Keynes City Council takes it obligations under the Equality Act very seriously and will not allow any driver to risk the safety of the travelling public.
“We will continue to fully investigate all complaints and put drivers before the court when appropriate to do so.”
Ways of increasing the amount of wheelchair-accessible taxis across the city are set to be explored to make it easier for those who need one to get one.
Cumbrian taxi drivers are fighting back against proposed licensing changes they fear will cripple their livelihoods.
Bolton taxi drivers are urged to sign up for free safeguarding and disability awareness training before the deadline on October 31st, 2024.
A Conwy Council meeting on Monday revealed a critical failing that allowed a taxi driver whose license had been revoked to continue transporting children to school.
Worcester City Council is seeking public opinion on a proposal to make safeguarding training mandatory for taxi and private hire drivers.
A proposal to increase driver, vehicle and private hire operator licences was discussed on Friday 19 July 19 at Sheffield City Council’s waste and street scene committee.
Through this collaboration, FREENOW willl provide additional benefits giving drivers up to 25% off pay-as-you-go rates across the entire bp pulse electric charging network and discounted fuel at all UK bp branded sites.
Wakefield Licensing, working alongside West Yorks Police Roads Policing unit, NPT, Off-Road Bike Team, Police Intercept Team, DVLA & DVSA, held a Partnership Day of Action at Thornes Park.
A pilot emissions reduction grant scheme providing financial support for hackney carriage drivers to upgrade to cleaner EURO 6 and fully battery powered vehicles has been launched.
The ride-hailing giant has submitted an application for an operator licence to Darlington Borough Council, with a decision expected in August.
Darlington could soon see Uber cars on its streets after the ride-hailing giant applied for a licence to operate in the town.
Stratford-upon-Avon District Council has revoked the licences of two taxi drivers following a series of speeding offences.
A Northampton taxi driver has been found guilty of trafficking cocaine between his home city and Milford Haven.
The move comes after concerns were raised by the taxi industry about the rising cost of purchasing new vehicles.
Guide Dogs charity has asked licensing authorities in England for their support in sharing guidance on the law on carrying guide or other assistance dogs with all taxi and private hire operators.
Reading Taxi Association (RTA) chairman Asif Rashid has slammed Reading Borough Council's proposed phase-out of older petrol and diesel cabs by 2028, calling it a financial burden for drivers.
Dorset Council is poised to review taxi fares across the region, excluding Weymouth and Portland which have separate regulations.
A North Belfast man, Ruairi Fintan Muldoon (31), has been sentenced to 12 months in prison with an additional 12 months on supervised release for a botched attempt to rob a taxi driver.
Passengers are been invited to take part in a survey aimed at finding out if the taxi trade in West Suffolk is accessible to all.
A Glasgow man, Darren Gray, 31, launched into a verbal tirade and racially abused a taxi driver on Paisley Road West on August 19th, 2022.