Worcester’s taxi drivers will be given training to help them identify the victims of child abuse and exploitation.
According to the Worcester News, taxi and private hire drivers are seen as being in an ideal position to spot and safeguard at-risk children, as well as vulnerable adults and victims of domestic violence.
Now the city council wants to introduce mandatory safeguarding training for all taxi drivers as part of the process of renewing their licence.
Training schemes have previously been offered to drivers on a voluntary basis, but licensing officers say this has created an “uneven playing field”.
In a report put before Worcester City Council’s licensing committee on Monday 4 March, taxi drivers are described as the “critical eyes and ears of the community” who “often encounter people who may be vulnerable”.
“In respect of child sexual exploitation, appropriately trained licensed drivers can assist in identification of incidents and persons of concern,” the report says.
“However, the council now has licensed drivers with different levels of knowledge in these areas of importance.”
Members of the licensing committee agreed to start a 12-week consultation period, with a view to implementing the scheme from January 1, 2025.
Councillors heard that there will be a cost to drivers but that officers are trying to keep this to a minimum, with the cost of the course likely to be around £20.
Committee chair Richard Udall said a number of licensed drivers had spoken to him to question the need for another financial burden, but added: “Quite frankly I think this is a necessary burden, and it’s for their own protection as much as it’s for the public, especially with the amount of schoolchildren who are being taken to school and back.”
Niall McMenamin, the city council’s principal officer licensing, told the committee: “This is about the driver being able to identify the people in the back of their vehicle, and them knowing the signs, where to report, and what to do at the time, if appropriate.”
Taxi drivers at a Scottish airport have been warned about the potentially “racist” refusal of passengers.
According to The National, all drivers working from Aberdeen Airport have been scolded over the suspected refusal of passengers from Africa due to “smelly food”.
The Press & Journal reports that enforcement officer David Mckane sent an email threatening police and licensing action if anyone was found to have refused fares due to this reason – with supposedly smelly fish being blamed.
But Mckane said he suspected it was “racially motivated” in an email seen by the P&J.
He wrote: “It has been brought to our attention that a small minority of drivers working from the airport are refusing fares due to there being ‘fish’ or ‘other foodstuffs’ in the luggage of certain passengers.
“There is no licensing condition that permits you to refuse a fare for such a reason.
“It is suspected that these refusals may be racially motivated.
“Any driver found to have refused a fare using this excuse or any similar excuse will be taken before the licensing committee and reported to Police Scotland.”
A spokesman for the airport said staff had been “made aware of an incident”.
“[It] is the subject of an investigation, and it would be inappropriate to comment further.”
Discussions have taken place over the future of taxi MOT testing in Bridgend County Borough.
Herald.Wales reports that currently testing in the area is undertaken at BCBC’s in-house vehicle maintenance garage, Ty Thomas, based at Brackla Industrial Estate.
It works with local taxi companies which require an enhanced taxi compliance check on top of their standard MOT certificate.
The site is also shared with South Wales Police, and was said to have brought in £49,785 worth of income from taxi fees in the last year.
However, in November of 2022, the licensing committee heard representations from the local taxi trade, which presented a petition with around 170 signatures, with the aim to open up taxi testing in Bridgend County Borough to other MOT garages.
It led to the management board at Ty Thomas having further discussions on the possibility of an “early exit” from the taxi testing agreement, though it was later confirmed that the existing testing arrangements would continue to run until the end of an agreement which expires in March of 2025.
Officers said that with the date only a year away, they would now begin a feasibility study, to look at opening up taxi MOT testing in the area, with a number of options on the table that could include – allowing taxi companies to obtain a MOT Certificate from any MOT testing station, selecting an approved number of testing stations, or maintaining the current in-house arrangements as they stand.
Officers added that they would now begin the feasibility study at the beginning of the next financial year, but said they would not yet be able to give a timeline on when this would be ready to bring to members.
Basingstoke and Deane Borough council has agreed to fund up to 17 new low-emission taxis.
Taxi drivers in the borough can now apply for support to get the hackney carriages onto the streets of Basingstoke, in a decision that was made at a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, March 5.
The Basingstoke Gazette reports that licensed taxi drivers can now apply for a £5,000 grant to help pay for one an electrically powered LEVC vehicle.
During the meeting Cllr Laura James, cabinet member for residents’ services and housing, said the borough currently has an aging stock of taxis.
She said: "We really need to do something about it and we have always got a reducing number of hackney carriages as well, so that is of concern."
Cllr James added: "The aging population of the drivers is of concern, set against very expensive taxis which are out of price for most people.
"These taxis are accessible and they are wheelchair accessible and this is essential that we have this service."
She also told members that there is a real interest with current taxi drivers to support the initiative.
The leader of the council, Cllr Paul Harvey said the idea is great and shows the council's ambitions and aspirations.
Cabinet member for the climate, Cllr Chris Tomblin, said: “Many people rely on accessible taxis to get around. However, the diesel vehicles currently in the fleet are increasingly reaching the end of their lives and need replacing and barriers, like cost, are discouraging existing and new drivers from taking on more modern and sustainable models.
“Our new £5,000 grants, developed through conversations with licensed drivers, aim to help make these electrically powered hackney carriages more affordable to support taxi drivers to use these environmentally friendly and accessible vehicles.
“In offering this grant, we can help to remove old diesel vehicles off the roads and replace them with a more sustainable method of travel to support our target for a net zero carbon borough by 2030.
“These ultra-low emission vehicles could also help drivers save up to £150 a week on fuel too.”
Taxi drivers can find out more at basingstoke.gov.uk/hackney-carriage-taxi.
Taxi drivers will see the cost of operating licences soar under new fees proposed in East Lothian.
According to EdinburghLive, a review of fees charged by East Lothian Council has recommended the cost of taxi driver licences to increase from £149 to £259.
The review, which compared other local authority fees found the charge for taxi drivers licences were on average £134.55.
Councillors will be asked to approve a wide-ranging list of new fees at a meeting of the Labour administration's cabinet this week.
A report to councillors revealed that the local authority had commissioned Lanarkshire-based business management consultants, Arneil Johnston, in April last year to carry out an independent review of its discretionary licensing fees.
The consultants looked at other Scottish councils' charges as well as the cost of overseeing the service before producing the results of their review.
The new fees will be put before cabinet for approval at a meeting on Tuesday 12 March.
Source: https://www.edinburghlive.co.uk/news/edinburgh-news/east-lothian-taxi-drivers-window-28774964
Taxi drivers in the town will be able to charge passengers more following a decision by the borough council on 31 July.
A taxi driver has been sentenced to a community order after admitting causing the death of a pedestrian by driving at excessive speed.
A joint operation by council, police, and DVSA officials has seen three taxis taken off the road in Oldham due to safety concerns.
Taxi drivers licensed by Mid Sussex could soon be forced to accept card payments, following a surge in complaints about cash-only services.
Two men have avoided immediate jail time after a high-speed race left a taxi driver with serious injuries.
BYD, manufacturer of new energy vehicles and power batteries, has announced a multi-year strategic partnership with Uber, designed to bring 100,000 new BYD EVs onto the Uber platform across key global markets.
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.