A Pembrokeshire chef has admitted causing the death of a much-loved taxi driver in a tragic car accident.

Mateusz Sikorski, 30, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving charges in Swansea Crown Court on Monday, October 7.

The fatal crash occurred on September 2, 2024, when Sikorski's BMW collided with a silver Volkswagen taxi driven by 57-year-old Christopher Boyle, also known as "Mucker."

Mr. Boyle, a father of five and a well-respected member of the Tenby community, tragically died at the scene of the accident.

Following the crash, Sikorski was arrested and charged with causing death by dangerous driving.

He initially appeared in court on September 5 and was remanded in custody. However, he was later granted bail on September 12 with strict conditions.

At Monday's hearing, Judge Catherine Richards renewed Sikorski's bail conditions and adjourned the case for sentencing until November 8.

The accident took place on the Penally by-pass near Tenby, and the subsequent inquest into Mr. Boyle's death has been adjourned due to the ongoing criminal proceedings.

A post-mortem examination confirmed that Mr. Boyle died as a result of multiple traumatic injuries.

Mr. Boyle's funeral was held on September 27 at St Mary's Church in Tenby. His family requested that donations be made to The Firefighters Charity in his memory.

In a tribute, Mr. Boyle's family described him as "very involved in the community" and someone who "would do anything to help anyone."

Fellow taxi driver Gabriel Nowak echoed these sentiments, saying, "I cannot think of anyone in Tenby, or even Pembrokeshire, who will not have known Mucker."

Customers and fellow drivers described Mr. Boyle as "one in a million," "such a gent," and "the nicest guy ever."

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The taxi industry in Northern Ireland is facing a looming crisis due to a significant decline in the number of drivers.

Official figures reveal that the number of taxi drivers has plummeted by over 50% in the past decade, from 15,000 to just 7,482.

Numbers have dropped by more than 100 in the last quarter alone.

This decline is attributed to various factors, including the pandemic, changes in the testing system and challenges faced by drivers.

Stephen Anton, communications manager at Fonacab, warned that the actual number of active drivers is likely even lower due to dormant licences which remain valid for five years but are not actively being used.

He expressed concerns about the potential for a 20% drop in drivers each year as these licences expire.

The recruitment of new drivers has been hampered by the lengthy and rigorous testing process.

Stephen said: “We need a process that gets people into the taxi industry much quicker - the new system takes about six months to get a single person through.

“It is still, in our opinion, too expensive, too difficult and too long a wait to become a taxi driver. That’s something we are working very hard with the DfI to try and fix.”

Industry representatives are calling for a more streamlined system to attract and retain drivers.

Councillor Paul Doherty highlighted the negative impact of the taxi shortage on individuals and the economy.

“Many people, including older people or those with disabilities, rely on these services to get to important appointments, to do their shopping and other errands or simply to live their lives,” he said.

“A lack of available taxi drivers also hurts our economies and sectors like tourism and hospitality, with more and more people choosing to stay in due to the struggle to get home.

“If action isn’t taken now then the situation is only going to get worse in years to come.

He emphasised the need for urgent action to address the issue, including improving working conditions for drivers and reducing barriers and costs to entry into the industry.

While the Department for Infrastructure (DfI) acknowledged the challenges faced by the taxi industry, they stated that their primary role is regulation rather than direct intervention in recruitment and retention matters.

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A taxi collision with pedestrians in Glasgow City Centre on Saturday afternoon resulted in injuries to four people.

The incident occurred around 1:50pm on Union Street, near Glasgow Central Station.

A black cab is believed to have mounted the sidewalk, striking pedestrians.

Emergency services, including police, paramedics, and firefighters, responded to the scene.

Three people, including the taxi driver, were transported to local hospitals.

A fourth person was assessed by paramedics but did not require hospitalisation.

Road closures were put in place in the area to allow for investigations.

Police are appealing to witnesses and anyone with information or footage of the incident to come forward.

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Derbyshire Police are appealing for information following a threatening incident involving a taxi driver in Alfreton.

Three men, accompanied by a dog, boarded a taxi at the Tesco store in Hall Street on September 11 at approximately 9:20pm.

The driver reported that the men threatened to stab him if he did not drive them to Ripley.

The driver complied with their demands, dropping the men and the dog off in Ripley as instructed.

Police are now seeking to identify the three men pictured in CCTV footage.

Anyone who recognises them or has any information about the incident is urged to contact Derbyshire Police.

You can reach out to police using the following methods:

• Website: Use the online contact form on the Derbyshire Police website.
• Facebook: Send a private message to the Derbyshire Constabulary Facebook page.
• X (Twitter): Direct message the contact center via @DerPolContact.
• Phone: Call 101

The reference number for the case is 24*544180.

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Reading private hire drivers are celebrating a major victory after years of campaigning to gain access to one of the town's main bus lanes.

The outbound King's Road bus lane, previously restricted to buses, motorcycles, bicycles, and hackney carriages, will now be accessible to private hire vehicles.

This change is expected to significantly reduce journey times to and from the Royal Berkshire Hospital and improve access to the M4 and Heathrow Airport.

Kamran Saddiq, chairman of the Reading Private Hire Association (RPHA), expressed his delight at the decision, highlighting the benefits it will bring to passengers, especially those attending hospital of with special needs who rely on private hire vehicles for school transport.

The new access to the bus lane became effective on October 1 following the installation of new signage.

However, only hackney carriage drivers and private hire drivers licensed with Reading Borough Council will be permitted to use the lane.

The decision to grant private hire drivers access to the bus lane was made in March at a Reading Borough Council traffic management sub-committee meeting.

While the installation of the necessary signage took some time, the council kept drivers informed throughout the process.

Mr. Saddiq praised the council for their transparency and commitment to the project.

Her added: "Thanks to all councillors involved, Cllr John Ennis (Labour, Southcote) former Cllr Tony Page, James Penman, the council's network services manager, and every single councillor who voted for us.

"I want to say a big thank you for finally taking this seriously, and for recognising private hire vehicles as an important form of transport, thanks from me and the association."

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