Addison Lee drivers will get easier and cheaper electric vehicle (EV) charging on the public network through a new partnership with Octopus Energy.
From today, Monday 18 March, drivers at Addison Lee – London’s largest premium private hire, courier and black taxi provider – will get access to Octopus Energy’s EV roaming service, Octopus Electroverse.
Electroverse’s revolutionary ‘one card, one app’ model means Addison Lee drivers no longer need to download multiple apps and subscriptions. This deal enables them to power up with just one simple tap at most charge point brands in the capital.
This partnership also means Addison Lee drivers will get up to 24% off their charging costs at thousands of Source London and MFG EV Power charge points across London.
Now operating the largest sustainable fleet in London, over the last three years, the firm has spent over £80 million to upgrade its vehicles and ensure it meets growing demand from customers who value quality and sustainable service.
The firm offers fully electric and zero emissions capable vehicles from executive, premium cars, to black taxis. This includes 600 PHEV VW multivans, Audi A6s, and A8s, in addition to the 1,000 fully electric VW ID.4s.
This comes as Octopus’ public charging disruptor has nearly tripled customer numbers over the past year - now the UK’s biggest EV roaming service.
Liam Griffin, CEO at Addison Lee commented: “As the first private hire operator in London to introduce EVs at scale, we have been a pioneer of electrification.
"This also means that we have seen first-hand the difficulties that private hire drivers face when it comes to finding reliable and available charging infrastructure.
"Over the last three years, we have committed to supporting our drivers with this ongoing challenge, and we are pleased to add Octopus Energy to our range of strategic charging partnerships.”
Matt Davies, Director of Octopus Electroverse, said: “Addison Lee has taken brilliant steps towards electrifying its fleet.
"We’re excited to now give their thousands of electric cab drivers access to our super-simple EV charging experience, as well as discounts on key charging networks.”
This is the latest milestone in Octopus Energy’s plans to speed up the transition to clean electric transport.
Its Octopus Electric Vehicles division is now the UK’s largest EV-only leasing business and the company is a pioneer in smart tariffs for EVs.
Its Intelligent Octopus Go tariff uses the company’s tech platform Kraken to charge electric cars when the grid is greenest and cheapest.
Last month, Octopus launched the UK’s first mass market vehicle-to-grid tariff, Octopus Power Pack, enabling free home charging.
Eligible taxi drivers will be contacted directly by Addison Lee to access this Electroverse deal.
Uber will pay $272 million Australian dollars (£140 million) to settle a long-running dispute with Australian taxi and hire car drivers who lost out when the company entered the Australian market.
According to the Independent, a class action against Uber had been expected to go to trial in the Supreme Court of Victoria on Monday 18 March, but Maurice Blackburn Lawyers — representing 8,000 taxi and hire car drivers — said the case will be dropped because Uber agreed to the financial settlement.
Maurice Blackburn, principal lawyer Michael Donelly, said that drivers and car owners suffered financial losses due to Uber’s aggressive entry into the market in 2012 and that the company consistently attempted to avoid compensating them.
“On the courtroom steps and after years of refusing to do the right thing by those we say they harmed, Uber has blinked, and thousands of everyday Australians joined together to stare down a global giant,” he said.
An Uber statement described the complaints of the taxi industry as “legacy issues” and said rideshare regulations did not exist anywhere in the world when the company started more than a decade ago.
“The rise of ridesharing has grown Australia’s overall point-to-point transport industry, bringing with it greater choice and improved experiences for consumers, as well as new earnings opportunities for hundreds of thousands of Australian workers,” the statement said.
“Since 2018, Uber has made significant contributions into various state-level taxi compensation schemes, and with today’s proposed settlement, we put these legacy issues firmly in our past."
It’s the fifth-largest class action settlement in Australia’s history and comes five years after the action was launched.
Source: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uber-ap-australian-sydney-b2514162.html???????
A new image as been released by police following an assault at Lancaster railway station.
The Lancashire Telegraph reports that just before midnight on Friday 5 January a man attacked a taxi driver on being told the vehicle was pre-booked.
He then verbally threatened the driver before gaining access to the taxi and damaging the vehicle interior by kicking and punching it.
The suspect then fled the location and police conducted a thorough search of the area.
British Transport police officers said they would like to speak to the man in the image as they believe may have information that could help their investigation.
Anyone who recognises this man or has information is asked to contact BTP by texting 61016, or by calling 0800 40 50 40 quoting reference number 760 of 5 January.
Alternatively you can call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Taxi drivers have been trained by police on how to spot county line drug dealers as a series of arrests and drug seizures were made across Norfolk.
According to the Eastern Daily Press, Norfolk Constabulary has been working with taxi companies on how to report suspicious behaviour to avoid cabs being used in county line drug deals.
News of the link-up came as police revealed details on a major operation across the county.
Twelve people were arrested and two county line phone lines were shut down in Norfolk during a national intensification week between March 4 and 10.
Arrests and drugs seizures were made in Norwich, Thetford, King’s Lynn and Great Yarmouth, offences included possession with intent to supply and being concerned in the supply of Class A and B drugs.
Officers seized drugs, weapons, cash and drug dealing paraphernalia, including crack cocaine, heroin, cannabis, magic mushrooms and MDMA, as well as knives, a hammer and a knuckle duster.
The week of activity was coordinated by the National County Lines Coordination Centre set up by the National Crime Agency and NPCC.
Other work during the week included working with taxi companies to ensure they know what to look for and how to report suspicious behaviour as taxis are sometimes used by dealers to move around the county.
Over the week, officers also visited vulnerable residents and held engagement events with young people and businesses.
Inspector Jo Minnis, county lines lead for Norfolk Constabulary, said: “It is important to note this work never stops.
“We will look to disrupt serious and organised crime, drug dealing and other associated criminality every day of the year, and wherever possible, bring those responsible to justice."
Anyone with information about drug dealing is encouraged to contact Norfolk Constabulary.
Spource: https://www.edp24.co.uk/news/24187298.norfolk-police-train-taxi-drivers-spotting-drug-crimes/
Liverpool City Council worked with Merseyside Police on Saturday 16 March, taking enforcement action.
They issued warning notices on vehicles illegally parked on Victoria Street taxi rank advising owners that their vehicle can be removed due to the obstruction caused.
Only Liverpool City Council hackney carriages plying for hire are permitted to use the rank.
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.