A Nottingham cabbie who has been fined £170 after "turning around" in the car park of a row of shops says it is "daylight robbery".
Nerinder Singh, from Radcliffe-on-Trent, was in West Bridgford waiting to go to a job in Lambley when he pulled into the parking spaces in front of Glow UV Tanning Studio on Davies Road.
He used the space to turn his car around, he says - stopping briefly in the meantime to read the "essay" of parking restrictions on the notice board.
But a month later, a letter came through the post informing him that he owed Nforce Parking £100.
Mr Singh said: "Excuse my language but I'm well ****** off. It's not just happening to me. It's happening to hundreds of people.
"These are unscrupulous parking companies. It's daylight robbery."
The incident, which happened on January 21, ended up being the second time in a matter of months that Mr Singh, 55, had been fined for parking.
On the first occasion - outside the DG Cars premises on Queens Road in the city centre - he says he was only in the parking spot for around 25 seconds.
On this occasion, he was looking for a spot to wait before heading to his next job. Having previously owned a business in West Bridgford, he saw the parking spaces outside the shops on Davies Road as a potential stopping point.
But when he got there, he noticed that a camera and notices had been installed since his last visit. The signs - which Mr Singh described as including "Ten paragraphs" of words - advised that no parking was allowed.
Mr Singh stepped outside of his taxi for "three or four minutes" to read the signs before exiting - specifically to avoid a fine. But less than 28 days later he was shocked to see he'd been charged.
It was for £100 - £40 more than his previous one. While last time he paid immediately, having been heading off on holiday a few days after the fine came through, he appealed this one.
But the appeal was rejected and in the meantime the fine had increased to £170 due to delayed payment.
Mr Singh says that the fact that shops were shut at the time - the incident happened at 4.51pm on a Sunday - adds insult to injury.
The firm - Nforce Parking Management - have now threatened Mr Singh with debt collectors if he doesn't pay.
With another trip abroad in the near future, he fears he will have to cough up - but wants to warn others that they could end up in a similar predicament if they are not careful.
Source: https://www.nottinghampost.com/news/local-news/nottingham-taxi-driver-slapped-parking-9151215
Passengers in Swansea can now book rides with Uber for the first time in the city.
The launch is in response to the rising demand with more than 4,000 locals opening the Uber app looking for a trip each week, the company said.
The introduction of Uber in Swansea is the brand's first new launch in a city since 2017.
The firm was given its licence to operate by Swansea council earlier this year.
Majid Iftikhar, a driver who has already signed up for Uber in Swansea, said: “I am excited for Uber to bring more work to Swansea, I can see it improving transport for locals and further help the local economy.
"Uber is perfect for me as I can work when I'm free, my wife doesn't drive so I can drop off and pick up kids from school.
"When I'm free, then I can work, Uber works in and around their schedules as well as my own."
Andrew Brem, General Manager of Uber UK, said: “We are extremely proud to launch Uber in Swansea where we have been seeing increased demand for our services.
"By bringing Uber to the city we want to help maximise earnings opportunities for drivers, boost transport options for passengers, and support the local economy.”
To celebrate its launch, riders in Swansea can get up to £20 off their next two rides until March 24 2024.
Source: https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/uber-confirms-its-launching-swansea-28806275
There were 722 complaints to Leeds City Council about the taxi and private hire trade during 2023, up from 579 the previous year.
The Yorkshire Evening Post reports that the council's annual licensing report said 35 of the complaints last year were over alleged inappropriate sexual behaviour.
Of those, 24 were in relation to conversations and comments from drivers and 11 were allegations of inappropriate sexual contact or assault.
Seven drivers were suspended following sexual complaints to the Taxi and Private Hire Licensing Service.
A council spokesperson said another four drivers were suspended after being arrested.
They said: “In most of these cases no formal complaint is made to the service as the incident has not occurred whilst working as a driver.”
The licensing report said: “The largest number of complaints reported to the council in 2023 relate to driver conduct, driving standards and licence breaches, which includes private hire drivers parking on hackney carriage ranks.
“In most of the cases, licensed drivers are given verbal or written warnings, a record of which is placed on their licensing file.”
Some drivers also faced immediate suspensions at the roadside when licensing officers and police carried out more than 1,600 vehicle inspections.
The report said: “Whilst most licensed taxi and private hire vehicles during these checks were found to be in good order, several were seen to fall short of requirements and 207 were immediately suspended from service for being in a dangerous condition, or licence breaches and public safety concerns.”
The report said 173 Leeds drivers were handed roadside suspensions. A further 34 of the suspensions were to drivers from neighbouring council areas who were stopped in Leeds.
The report said: “The staff at the Taxi and Private Hire Licensing service continue to work closely with the licensing committee to ensure that members of public travelling in taxi and private hire vehicles are protected.
“This last year we have improved our communication and engagement with the trade and other stakeholders through regular trade meetings and with the trade’s representatives.”
Searches for ‘switch to electric vehicle’ are up by 33% this quarter
With costs dropping, range rising, and charging times plummeting, industry experts explain why taxi drivers should consider the switch to electric
While taxi drivers may typically only change their cars every four to five years, industry experts are advising that now is the right time to upgrade your taxi to an electric vehicle.
In fact, in the last five years, electric vehicles have gone from an expensive option of the future to a staple in the industry, accounting for over 20% of all new cars sold. It’s not only becoming a more popular choice for the public, but also for taxi drivers looking to save money and increase efficiency.
Stephen Porter, Branch Manager at The Taxi Centre explains why upgrading to an electric vehicle could be the best decision for taxi drivers in 2024:
“Five years ago, it would’ve been hard to imagine that purchasing an EV could be an option for an average taxi driver. With 150-mile ranges and 50 kW chargers being the best on offer, they just weren’t suitable for everyone. Fears of being left stranded with low range or inefficient charging eating into working hours were enough put many drivers off.
“But now with a growing number of EVs offering 300 miles of range and charging speeds of over 200kW the cars are significantly more capable. Added to this is the fact that overnight smart charging tariffs are providing costs as low as 7.5p per kWh, the option of switching into an EV taxi moves from being viable to being sensible.
“If you consider a modern EV with a 77-kWh battery, it takes 10 hours to home charge overnight at as low as 7.5p per kWh, while a full charge would only cost £5.78. This means you can do a 300-mile drive at around 2p per mile. In contrast, a petrol vehicle is going to cost you around £30-£40 for the 20+ litres of fuel that you’ll need to cover 300 miles.
“This year, the UK Government brought in the ZEV mandate. This new law will require 22% of a manufacturer’s sales to be EV. This percentage will increase annually. In 2028 52% of all new car sales will need to be electric and this increases to 80% in 2030. Some councils, such as Dundee, have embraced EVs and now only issue new plates if the car that is being licenced is zero emission.
"We are quickly approaching a world where the only cars available will be EV and many cities will begin implementing zero emission zones.
"It’s no longer a question of whether a taxi driver will buy an EV, it is a question of when they will buy one. For a growing number of drivers, the answer to that question is right now”.
To find out more information on government taxi grants or browse taxis for sale visit: https://www.thetaxicentre.com
Coventry cabbies have said they are "struggling" as bills soar and they face rising competition for work in the city. One hackney cab driver said the trade is "on its last legs" and this is "the darkest period we have ever faced."
CoventryLive reports that the claims were made in response to council plans to increase licence fees for cabs in the city. The move was agreed by a council committee on Tuesday 12 March.
But papers for the meeting show the proposals were met with an outcry among drivers consulted on the move. More than 50 wrote to the authority opposing the scheme, with just two comments in support.
Many said they can't afford the rise as they are already coping with high inflation and the soaring cost of living.
One driver claimed they are struggling to make ends meet despite working a seven-day week, and another said their income is too small to support themselves and their family.
The drivers also raised concern over rising competition with out-of-own cabbies and those with app-based services such as Uber. One said there are "not enough jobs" and most customers are hardly using black cabs.
Another painted a gloomy picture of the traditional cabbie's prospects. They wrote: "I do not believe that it would be justifiable in the current circumstances that we as taxi drivers are having to face, what with rising costs across the board, with rising fuel and insurance costs and ever increasing costs for repairs and maintenance.
"Along with diminishing revenues due to Uber, the taxi hackney trade is on its last legs. It appears to me, having been in the trade for over 30 years, that this is the darkest period we have ever faced."
Several letters also called on councillors and the council's licensing office to do something about the situation. But a council report said the fees had to go up to make sure the service breaks even.
The report warned of the consequences of not doing so, stating: "Failure to increase fees in line with costs and to keep pace with inflation will result in a financial loss to the council and an increase in the council’s subsidy of the Taxi and Private Hire Licensing Service."
Under the changes the cost of new driver licences will rise by £35-40, while renewing the licence - which has to be done by drivers every three years - will cost an extra £20.
Other fees will rise by between £2 and £17, the highest one being the driver licence renewal and licence fees for vehicles.
Operator costs will also rise by £100-£110. The changes will be brought in from 1 April.
Asked for comment on calls by cab drivers to do more, a council spokesperson said: "The points were raised in the objections made to the proposed fee increase.
"Coventry licensed drivers are aggrieved with competition from Uber and other out-of-town drivers that can work in Coventry but are not Coventry licensed vehicles and drivers.
"Whilst we have no enforcement powers to stop them working here, we have got a good relationship with enforcement officers from other licensing authorities."
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.