Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council has said it may make further investigations into the accessibility of the taxis it licenses, following a complaint.
The Welwyn Hatfield Times reports that Ben Gillum, a Welwyn Garden City resident, lodged a complaint with the council about the taxi services "not being made accessible for all types of disabilities".
69-year-old Ben has cerebral palsy, which means he struggles to use all taxis due to them being too high for him to get into.
Ben said: “WHBC have introduced a policy whereby every hackney carriage on the rank must be wheelchair friendly.
“I recently tried to use such a vehicle and found that it was unsatisfactory in that there were steps, and no ramp was available.
"I couldn't manage the steps and so my planned journey couldn't be completed, much to my disappointment."
After speaking with the deputy leader of hackney carriage licensing in Welwyn Garden City, Ben was told he would have to use a private hire vehicle.
Ben added: "What I would like to see is a policy to cater not only for wheelchair users, but also for people like me who's legs are stiff and who can't use the system as it currently stands.
“This policy needs to be reviewed; indeed, Age UK have said as much.
“As a disabled person, I find this policy somewhat counter intuitive in that it is aimed at helping disabled people but appears to be excluding a large section of them.”
A Welwyn Hatfield Borough council spokesperson said: “We are sorry to hear of this resident’s difficulty recently with a Welwyn Hatfield licensed taxi.
“The Wheelchair Accessible Policy (WAV) was introduced by the council in March 2020 (in line with the Equality Act 2010). As such, our licensed hackney carriage vehicles must become wheelchair accessible at the end of their working life. There are eight of these already in operation in the borough.
“The wheelchair accessible hackney carriages are fitted with ramps that should always be available for all disabled customers, not just wheelchair users.
"These lower, to allow level access into the vehicle. This was something we discussed previously with the customer, but we would be happy to investigate further if it is felt necessary.”
An unlicensed private hire driver who was found to be illegally dropping off fares in Reading has been fined more than £900.
According to the Reading Chronicle, Tassawar Nawaz, from Reading, was caught operating a private hire vehicle without a licence, in a controlled district, and without the correct insurance.
In July 2022, Nawaz was approached by two Reading council licensing officers after he was seen dropping off two passengers on a taxi rank at Reading Station.
At Reading Magistrates Court on Friday, February 17, Nawaz was found guilty and ordered to pay a total of £982 in financial penalties, including a £690 fine, and a £92 victim surcharge.
Eight penalty points were also added to Mr Nawaz’s driving licence.
A statement from Reading Council said: “Licensing officers have stressed the dangers of using unlicensed private hire vehicles.
“Residents are advised to always ensure that the private hire or hackney carriage licence plate is visible before beginning their journey.”
Councillor Tony Page, Reading’s lead councillor for Climate Strategy and Transport, said: “I sincerely hope the outcome of this case will serve to further deter any drivers from contravening the law.
“Such illegal activity will not be tolerated and our team of licensing officers will continue to maintain their vigilant enforcement activities.”
Source: https://www.readingchronicle.co.uk/news/23368355.unlicensed-driver-fined-almost-1-000-illegal-trips/
A senior executive officer of Knowsley Council was accidentally appointed as a director of a company awarded £1m a year in council funds, a spokesperson has said.
The St Helen's Star reports that executive director for communities and neighbourhoods, Andrew Donaldson, was registered with Companies House as a director of Supreme Executive Cars Ltd in January of this year.
Supreme Executive Cars Ltd is one of a consortium of companies awarded a lucrative council contract to provide home-to-school transport for children in Knowsley in June 2020 with the deal worth in excess of £10m over a five-year period.
Last year, the company received nearly £1m in payments from Knowsley Council.
Concerns had been raised with the Local Democracy Reporter Service (LDRS) about the presence of Mr Donaldson on the board of the company, amid fears this could impact on the council’s reputation around fairness and impartiality and present a potential conflict of interest given the contract the company has with the council.
Knowsley Council was asked whether Mr Donaldson, who joined the council in April 2021 and is understood to deputise on occasion for the chief executive Mke Harden in his absence, had sought permission and disclosed he was a director of the company in line with the council’s code of conduct for officers.
The council was also asked whether it had any concerns about Mr Donaldson’s position in the company given his senior role at the council.
Responding to those queries, a Knowsley Council spokesperson said that Mr Donaldson had been registered as a director of the company “in error” and would now be removed.
Companies House records show that Mr Donaldson was removed as director of the company on March 3.
Mr Donaldson is also listed as a director for Knowsley Development Trust Ltd, which runs Knowsley business park. He joined the board of directors of that company in April 2022.
Supreme Executive Cars Ltd is “linked” with Knowsley Development Trust Ltd via its parent organisation Your Travel Borough Wide Ltd.
Your Travel Borough Wide Ltd is a charity limited by guarantee which was set up in 2004 by the directors of Knowsley Development Trust Ltd. The chief executive of Your Travel Borough Wide Ltd is seconded to the charity from Knowsley Development Trust Ltd, according to its most recent annual accounts.
Your Travel Borough Wide Ltd bought Supreme Executive Cars Ltd in 2018, which is now a wholly-owned subsidiary company. This decision was connected to new requirements around permits for drivers, according to company records.
Your Travel Borough Wide Ltd was previously part of a consortium awarded the home-to-school transport contract by Knowsley Council in 2017. When the contract was being renewed in 2020, Your Travel Borough Wide Ltd was replaced by Supreme Executive Cars Ltd in the contract.
Referring to Mr Donaldson’s directorship of Knowsley Development Trust, the council spokesperson said this had been disclosed and permission granted by the council for him to take up the role.
The council said his role with the company was “voluntary” and added that Mr Donaldson is not involved in any contract decisions in relation to the company as part of his role with Knowsley Council.
The spokesperson said: “Mr Donaldson is a Board member of Knowsley Development Trust (a linked organisation to Supreme Executive Cars Limited) .
“His role on the Board of Knowsley Development Trust has been declared formally by Mr Donaldson at the time of the appointment. This has been approved in line with the Council’s Declarations of Personal Interest Policy which supports the Council’s Officer Code of Conduct.
“Mr Donaldson is not paid for this voluntary role and is not in involved in, or responsible for, any contractual decisions relating to Knowsley Development Trust as part of his employment as the Executive Director of Communities & Neighbourhoods at Knowsley Council.”
The spokesperson continued: “Supreme Executive Cars Limited is a related organisation to Knowsley Development Trust and unfortunately, in error, Mr Donaldson has been listed as a director of this company too.
“This is not the case and Knowsley Development Trust is amending its records and removing Mr Donaldson from its listing on Companies House.”
Knowsley Development Trust director, Steve Dumbell, who is also a director of Your Travel Borough Wide Ltd and Supreme Executive Cars Ltd told the LDRS: “I can confirm that Mr Andrew Donaldson is a valued Board Member of Knowsley Development Trust. He is not however and never has been a director of Supreme Executive Travel Limited.
“I can only apologise to Mr Donaldson for this error and for any confusion or issues that have been caused as a result.”
Source: https://www.sthelensstar.co.uk/news/23370957.knowsley-council-chief-listed-director-company-error/
A passenger tried to rob a taxi driver who picked him up in Leeds then threatened to kill him if he didn’t hand over his takings.
According to the Yorkshire Evening Post, Serwan Ali and a second man flagged down the cab outside Leeds College of Building on Cudbear Street in the early hours of August 24 last year, and asked to be taken to Harehills.
But they then told the driver to stop on anotherr road in Harehills where the driver asked for the fare, prosecutor Daniel Ingham told Leeds Crown Court.
At that point 22-year-old Ali said: “Give me your money.”
When the driver refused, Ali replied: “I’m not asking you again, otherwise I will get physical.” He then began flailing his arms around while the second unnamed man warned the driver: “Just give him the money.”
Luckily, the cabbie spotted a police car parked up nearby and drove towards it, stopping next to the van, as the two men made the threats to kill when they realised what he was doing.
While being detained, Ali became abusive and called the officer a “white n*****”. He was found with tramadol tablets in his pocket, and more were found after he was strip searched at the station.
During his interview, Ali denied trying to rob the driver, calling him a “f****** liar”, and claimed they only told the driver they had no money for the fare.
Ali, from Wigan, later admitted attempted robbery, racially aggravated public order and possession of Class C drugs.
The court was told he had six previous convictions for 11 offences and was on two suspended sentences, one for possessing an offensive weapon.
Mitigating, Emily Hassell said Ali She had come to the UK from Iraq illegally on a lorry when he was 16.
He admitted he was under the influence at the time, had been drinking and could remember “very little” of the offences.
Judge Andrew Stubbs KC told Ali it would be an immediate custodial sentence and said: “Your intention was to not go anywhere, your intention was to rob the taxi driver.
"You threatened him with violence and you did everything you could have possibly done to take his money.
"Luckily for him there was a police van nearby.
"At 22, you have been given chances and not taken them. Your chances, I’m afraid, have run out.”
He jailed Ali for 24 months in total, made up of 21 months for the latest offences, while activating three months of the previous suspended sentences he had received.
Hackney carriage drivers in Hartlepool have requested an increase in taxi fares on Sundays and at certain times during the festive period.
The Hartlepool Mail reports that a report going before Hartlepool Borough Council licensing committee on Friday, March 10, suggests increasing the cost of a two-mile journey between 7am and midnight on Sundays by £1.40.
The proposals also include pricing alterations which would mean the cost for a two-mile trip between 7am and 6pm during the period between December 24 to 31 would increase by £3.20.
A £1.40 rise would also be seen for the same length of journey during those hours from December 18 to 23.
One taxi driver has told the Mail that the festive increases are proposed because extra traffic means “it is taking half a hour to do a five or ten minute job”.
In addition, the trade has requested an increase in the “soiling charge” from £35 to a maximum of £100.
The proposed changes have been backed by the Taxi Owners Working Group.
All 81 vehicle owners have been consulted on the changes, with a “small number” of objections received, which will be outlined at the meeting.
A report from Sylvia Pinkney, council assistant director for regulatory services, recommends the committee “approves the proposed increase in hackney carriage tariffs”.
It said: “Any increase in tariffs must reflect a balance between allowing licensed drivers to generate a reasonable income whilst representing value for money for the travelling public.
“An increase in the soiling charge to a maximum of £100 will provide greater compensation for the driver where there is a significant loss of work due to the fault of a passenger.”
According to Private Hire and Taxi Monthly, Hartlepool’s hackney carriage tariffs remain “some of the lowest in the country”.
Neil Handisides, a town taxi driver and member of Taxi Owners Workers Group, explained the reasons for the new fares.
He said: "On a Sunday we used to work on what's called tariff 2 which we have had for the last 20 to 30 years or so.
"When we got an increase last year, for whatever reason we didn't get tariff 2 on a Sunday so we are asking for it back.
"It's not really an increase, it's just to level things back to what they were."
Neil said the increases for the run up to and over Christmas are due to longer journey times.
"Because of the traffic before and during Christmas and New Year it is taking half a hour to do a five or ten minute job," he said. That's why we are asking for that."
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.