A man has been charged in connection with an attempted kidnapping incident that occurred in the Shipley last week.

Luke Stephenson, 34, from Skipton, will appear before Bradford Magistrates Court on Monday, September 16, facing charges of attempted kidnap/false imprisonment with intent to commit a sexual offence.

The incident is believed to have taken place around 8pm on Thursday, September 12, on Nab Lane, Shipley. It involved the occupants of a black car and a red car.

West Yorkshire Police are now appealing to a taxi driver who may have witnessed the incident to come forward. The taxi is believed to have driven past the scene at approximately the same time.

A spokesperson for the police said, "We are keen to speak to the taxi driver as a potential witness. Any information they can provide could be crucial to our investigation."

Anyone with information about the incident is urged to contact Bradford District Adult Safeguarding Unit via West Yorkshire Police's online live chat or by calling 101. 

The crime reference number is 13240498459.

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A visually impaired man has successfully prosecuted a private hire vehicle driver who refused his trip because he had a guide dog. 

Stephen Anderson, 33, who works as a public servant, has been the victim of numerous refusals by taxi and PHV drivers.

Anderson, from Harrow, has begun recording these incidents and reporting them to Transport for London. 

The most recent incident, which has gone viral on social media, has garnered significant attention with over three million views and sparked public outrage.

On 12 September, Stephen posted: "Yesterday, a driver was successfully prosecuted for refusing to take me and my guide dog Ava on 18th May 2024. He pleaded guilty and has 28 days to pay £550, which is a £200 fine, £250 costs and £0 victim surcharge. Thank you to @TfL @TfLTPH for their ongoing support with refusals."

He told Metro: "To be treated differently like this in public because of how I was born, makes me feel like a piece of scum. 

"I'm aware, however, that I have a social responsibility to disabled people who cannot stand up for themselves."

The victory in this case is not about personal gain for Anderson but rather about sending a clear message to drivers that they must comply with the law and accommodate passengers with disabilities.

Anderson has had his guide dog, Ava, for 14 months and says that she has significantly improved his independence.

Stephen has been very vocal about his encounters online, however shared that he sometimes questions whether he is doing the right thing by talking about it publicly.

“I really hope I don’t discourage disabled people from coming forward for assistance dogs,” he added.

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The email below was sent to all Britannia Taxis driver partners:

"In response to passenger and driver-partner feedback, Britannia Taxis will be making changes to the dispatch of bookings in your operational areas. With effect from Wednesday, 18th September, the dispatch of bookings for Wigan will only be offered to driver-partners licensed by their local authority. Equally, the dispatch of bookings in all other operational areas will not be available to Wigan licensed driver-partners.

"Britannia Taxis anticipates that this change will improve your passengers' experience, as bookings will be completed by knowledgeable local driver-partners. It is hoped that this will enhance the passenger experience and, in turn, increase booking volumes."

TRIPLE LOCK RULE:

Three licences - operator, vehicle and driver must ALL be issued by the SAME council

An operator may not make use of vehicles or drivers that are not licensed by the same council as their operators licence

A private hire driver may only accept bookings from an operator licensed by the same council as his or her badge and plates

DEREGULATION ACT OF 2015:

This only allowed for an operator in one area, to 'sub-contract' to an operator in another area

At no point did it sanction an operator in one area to make use of vehicles and drivers licensed from another area by dispatching jobs directly to them - even if they have the correct paperwork - it only allows them to 'sub-contract'

FACTS ....

All operators must keep clear & accurate records of:

all bookings both in and outside licensed area

which driver each job is dispatched to

which authority each driver is licensed with

these records must be available to show council enforcement officers at any time

WILL OTHER OPERATORS FOLLOW SUIT .…… MAYBE?

We are now seeing more councils waking up to the growing number of out-of -town drivers working in their area and hear they are asking operators questions that must be responded to within 7 days.... such as:

number of bookings you have undertaken in your licensed area in the last three months where you have utilised a driver licensed in another area?

confirm which council these drivers are licensed with

BE WARNED:

If enforcement find a local operator is making direct use of vehicles and drivers from any other area, then an offence has been committed

both the operator and the driver are in breach of their licensing conditions, and they both could have their licences revoked

no one wants to see action being taken against operators or drivers BUT the facts surrounding the deregulation act remain, the triple lock rule remains, and the case of Milton Keynes versus Skyline confirmed it ...

so be careful, and make sure your house is in order .....

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Taxi fares in Falkirk will remain frozen for the next year, council officials have confirmed.

The decision follows a consultation with local taxi drivers, who supported maintaining current fare levels despite rising costs.

While the trade has faced increased expenses, there was no appetite for further price hikes, particularly after a significant fare increase last year.

Seven responses were received from taxi drivers during the consultation, with most comments related to the previous year's festive season pricing. 

One driver reported receiving complaints from customers over the Christmas and New Year period when the higher festive tariff was still in effect.

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A Wallsend man has been sentenced to ten years in prison for a terrifying knifepoint robbery on a private hire driver.

The incident occurred in December 2021 when the victim was driving in the Wallsend area. 

Two passengers, Robert Wardle and another man, boarded the taxi around 12.40am and asked to be taken to a nearby cashpoint.

Once at the cashpoint, Wardle exited the vehicle. 

Newcastle Crown Court heard the other man asked the cabbie to pull into a side street, saying he didn't want the police to see him and that he had been released from prison following a 12-year sentence for armed robbery. Wardle also said he was wanted by the police.

They asked to go back to the pick-up point and on arrival the second man pulled out a knife, reached around the driver's seat and held the blade to his throat. The victim tried to grab the knife before getting out of the car and running away.

The robbers chased after him but then went back to the taxi and drove it away. The car was later found a few streets away but they had stolen his wallet, containing £600 and bank cards, his dashcam, house keys and keys to another vehicle.

The court heard that the robbery has had a profound impact on the taxi driver, who now feels unsafe working at night and has suffered significant financial losses due to no longer working nights.

Wardle, 32, from Wallsend, who has 34 previous convictions, was convicted of robbery after a trial earlier this year.

While the jury were out, he absconded from court and was on the run for two months and ten days. He was also found guilty of absconding from court after the jury reached their verdict.

Judge Amanda Rippon sentenced Wardle to a total of 10 years and 10 weeks in prison, with an extended licence period of two years.

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