CityFleet Networks Ltd, the national taxi and private hire services provider, has acquired Chester-based taxi firm, Vedamain Ltd operating under the KingKabs brand name.
The move continues CityFleet’s growth in the private mobility services market, providing further expansion of its network in the Northwest.
Outside of London, the Northwest is the largest taxi and private hire market in the UK. The added capacity from this acquisition means that CFN will be delivering over 5 million taxi and private hire journeys each year to residents and visitors in the region, supporting businesses and the local economy.
CityFleet is committed to being the leading mobility service provider, connecting driver partners with passengers seamlessly using the latest technology and unparalleled customer and driver support.
Flexible payment options are available, including cash, with a bespoke account service for organisations in the health, education and business sectors providing security and management information.
Damian Rowbotham, CEO, CityFleet Networks Ltd, said: “The team KingKabs have an enviable history, establishing the most professional and customer focused taxi service in the area.
"Together we will be able to take our business to the next level, with customers of both companies benefiting from an even better, regional experience”.
Karen Long, CityFleet Networks general manager in the Northwest, said: “Vedamain is a perfect fit with our other local operations, Argyle Satellite and ComCab Liverpool and presents us with a great opportunity to grow and invest further in the local community. Watch this space for further development and service improvements”.
Nigel Thomas, the outgoing managing director and owner, added: “We are incredibly enthusiastic about what joining CityFleet means for the future of KingKabs.
"CityFleet have a great team with a focus on customer and driver experience. They are fully committed to taking the company forward and continuing KingKabs’ proud traditions and levels of service.”
A Cambridge cabbie has slammed the state of the city's roads.
Ahmed Karaahmed, Chairman of Cambridge City Licenced Taxis says that he's "never" seen the roads in as poor a state as they have been in recent months.
In the past week, Ahmed said he had spent £500 repairing his car after driving into a deep pothole which was concealed by rainwater.
Speaking to CambridgeshireLive, he said: "There are a ridiculous number of potholes now. I took my car into the garage I damaged one of my wheels and tyres.
"I went through a puddle not thinking the damage was that bad, and I asked them whether anything else needed to be done. They said there were other things on the front suspension that needed to be replaced."
Ahmed, who is meeting MP Daniel Zeichner to discuss his concerns, has conducted a poll of his members - with an accompanying report finding taxi drivers have seen a big increase in the amount of money spent on car repairs over the past year.
He has said that on top of rising fuel bills, decreasing trade to the cost of living and new CCTV installation, his profits have hit a considerable bump in the road.
He added: "The council seem to have money for other projects, but when it comes to fixing the roads they don't have the budget. It's one of the subjects I would like to see a big improvement.
"I've never seen the conditions of the roads as bad as they are now. When I drive I feel that I'm in a third-world country.
"I have to spend more money on my vehicles and my colleagues have experienced the same issue."
Responding to Ahmed's concerns, a Cambridgeshire County Council spokesperson said: "We are responding to a high number of defects right now and repairing at an unprecedented rate.
"Please continue to report highways faults as soon as you can and encourage others to do so as well.
"We are also committed to continuing to prioritise regular inspections of our roads, bridges and footpaths to identify defects and get them repaired as quickly as possible.
"All reports are inspected and actioned based on the intervention levels in the Highway Operational Standards."
Source: https://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/news/cambridge-news/cambridge-cabbie-says-hes-spent-26499080
A man punched a taxi driver in the face before spitting in the back of a police van. Robert Marriner, 34, was told to go home by a local police officer before being refused service by a taxi driver.
PC Hammond was patrolling the city centre on February 3 when he was notified by door staff that Marriner was drunk and acting aggressively.
After getting into a taxi, the 34-year-old was refused service and became abusive towards the driver, Wiltshire Live reports.
He then assaulted the driver before being swiftly arrested by police. However, while in the back of the Wiltshire Police van, he spat out.
At a hearing earlier this month, Marriner, from Warminster, pleaded guilty to assault by beating and criminal damage. He was fined £1,234 and required to pay a victim surcharge of £492, court costs of £85 and £100 compensation each to the taxi driver and Wiltshire Police.
PC Hammond said: “When people come to Salisbury for a night out, any violence will not be tolerated and will be dealt with robustly. I am glad that the courts have taken this assault seriously.
“Marriner was given plenty of opportunity to go home and sleep off the alcohol, however when he did get into a taxi he chose to continue his tirade of abusive behaviour towards the taxi driver.
“He was subsequently asked to leave the vehicle, and he has then assaulted the driver.
"Taxi drivers work hard to make sure that people get home safely when they have been out drinking and shouldn’t be subject to any assault, physical or verbal.”
Source: https://www.somersetlive.co.uk/news/local-news/man-punched-taxi-driver-face-8271993
A Harrogate district taxi driver has criticised new taxi fare and licence fees planned for North Yorkshire.
According to the Stray Ferret, North Yorkshire County Council unveiled the new charges as part of its new licensing policy for cabs under the upcoming North Yorkshire Council.
It will see the fixed start fee for a district cabbie increase from £3.60 to £4.00.
However, the night time and Christmas tariffs would remain fixed at £5.40 and £7.20.
Meanwhile, the council is also proposing increasing licence fees for new drivers from the current Harrogate rate of £319 for one-year to £350.
It is also planning a renewal fee increase from £249 to £280 – a hike of 12.5%.
The proposed table of tariffs are due to go before a county council executive on Tuesday 21 March.
Richard Fieldman, who runs a taxi firm in Ripon, said the new tariffs would not help those who work night shifts.
He criticised the policy and added that the licence fees increase of 12.5% was “far too much”.
Mr Fieldman said: “They have put their hand in a lottery bag and thrown it in.”
The move comes as North Yorkshire County Council will introduce a single hackney carriage and private hire licensing policy from the spring.
The existing seven district councils, including Harrogate, currently have their own hackney carriage and private hire licensing policies. However, under the new policy, drivers will be able to operate in any area of the county.
Cllr Derek Bastiman, executive councillor for open to business, said: “The proposed licence fees ensure we can provide the administration of vehicle and operators’ licences, carry out essential inspections of vehicles so that passengers can continue to travel safely and maintain hackney carriage stands, as well as the enforcement of the licences, without creating an additional cost to the taxpayer.
“With the launch of a single local licensing authority for North Yorkshire, the proposed fees also ensures hackney carriage and private hire licence holders and taxi operators across the county are treated equally, and will hopefully encourage them to continue to invest in and maintain high-quality and safe vehicles.
“The setting of taxi fares is also a statutory duty for the licensing authority and our aim is to strike a balance between setting a fare that is acceptable to the customer and to the taxi driver, and not create confusion by varied fares in the licensed area.
“The proposed fares are the maximum hackney carriage drivers can charge. They can of course charge a lower fare, should they wish to do so.”
Source: https://thestrayferret.co.uk/planned-harrogate-district-taxi-licence-fare-hikes-far-too-much/
A private hire driver who was caught picking passengers up from the street has been banned from working for two weeks.
The Glasgow Times reports that Mr Zafarullah was warned he “could have lost everything” after he was seen ‘pirating’ in the city centre.
Enforcement officers from Glasgow City Council spotted Mr Zafarullah accept two customers, who hadn’t pre-booked, outside The Garage nightclub on Sauchiehall Street.
Councillor Alex Wilson, who chairs the city’s licensing committee, said ‘pirating’ is the “scourge of Glasgow”.
He added: “You should have said to the gentleman and the woman that approached your car: ‘I’m sorry I cannot pick you up, you have to phone or you have to go and get a black cab.’
“If you had an accident, they could have sued you for everything you have got. You could have lost everything. That is the seriousness of pirating in Glasgow.”
An enforcement officer told councillors how one of the people who had approached the driver’s car had confirmed they had not booked in advance.
Mr Zafarullah said he had been “very frustrated” after a night of “no shows.”
He said: “This is by no means an excuse for what I did on the night in question,” adding he had no previous complaints.
Councillor Wilson said: “You were about to pick up passengers and put them into your vehicle, do you know the minute they step into your vehicle your insurance isn’t valid?
“You were willing to take a risk where if you have an accident you would not be insured, and you’re putting your passengers at risk, your own livelihood at risk.”
Councillors decided to suspend the driver for two weeks with immediate effect.
A former paratrooper turned pet taxi driver is in the running for an Animal Star Award for his work in Wakefield and Pontefract.
Tariq Rehman, 75, from Stechford, had his licence removed by Solihull Council in November last year following a complaint from a passenger.
A taxi firm boss has branded the criminal justice system "broken" after new figures revealed almost a third of offenders in the town reoffended within a year.
Dramatic CCTV footage has captured the moment a hooded figure set a taxi alight on a residential driveway.
A Drongan taxi driver has been convicted of sexually assaulting a female passenger after offering to waive her fare in exchange for sex.
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.