Clackmannanshire Council reports it has now filled its active hackney carriage quota, after it made a U-turn on its wheelchair accessibility policy.
According to the Alloa Advertiser, during a meeting of the Regulatory Committee, it was agreed to temporarily suspend the policy to only accept wheelchair-accessible vehicles.
This was carried out in order to attract more taxis to the fleet, which had significantly decreased in Clacks in recent times.
A spokesperson for Clackmannanshire Council said: “Due to recent unforeseen circumstances, which have seen the number of taxis in the area significantly decrease, the Regulatory Committee agreed to temporarily suspend the policy to only accept taxi operator applications for wheelchair-accessible vehicles.
“This was planned to be for a minimum of six months, or until a quota of 52 active taxis was achieved.
“Since the decision was made to suspend the policy, there has been an influx of applications for new taxi operator licences and all available taxi operator licences have now been allocated.
“The council has reserved three licences that will only be granted to wheelchair-accessible vehicles.”
Now that the taxi quota in Clacks has been reached, the council is actively searching for wheelchair-accessible vehicles to give out licences to.
They have put out a call for anyone with a suitable vehicle to get in touch to begin the hiring process.
The spokesperson continued: “The council is committed to maintaining a fleet of taxis that includes a sufficient number of wheelchair-accessible vehicles, and a reasonable level of availability of standard saloons, as well as 6/7 seat vehicles.
“The policy was successful and has already more than doubled the number of wheelchair-accessible taxis in Clackmannanshire.
“Anyone interested in applying for a taxi operator licence for a wheelchair-accessible vehicle should note that the Regulatory Committee have also formally waived the requirements for such vehicles to be less than five years of age, and applications can be considered for wheelchair-accessible vehicles over that age.
"This evening at approximately 17.45, I was carrying two males and a female in my car. As soon as they got in my car, they started using balloon gas. I could tell by their conversations that they were not all okay. During the journey, one male passenger sitting in the front opened his takeaway and started eating it.
"When I asked them not to eat in my car, both the males jumped me and beat me up.
"I am sharing this to make you aware of the dangers of our job, and if someone does balloon gas in your car, please call 999 and cancel the job.
"It's not worth it!!"
Take Me Group Ltd is pleased to announce that Southern Taxis Brighton Ltd will be joining the network in February 2024.
David Hunter, CEO of Take Me Group said: “These are exciting times for the Group, we have been talking with Andrew Cheesman at Southern Taxis for a number of years and the timing is now right for all parties to add them into our network.”
Andrew is the Owner of Southern Taxis and has been involved with the business for 27 years, so will be a valuable asset bringing a wealth of knowledge and experience which can be shared back into the Take Me Group.
Andrew said: “I've been chatting with David Hunter and John Gardner about this on and off for a few years now, but a couple of weeks ago we all met up for some fantastic fish and chips in The Regency in Brighton, and it quickly seemed right to get things finally over the line.”
Taxis aren’t Andrew's only passion. He is involved in numerous successful businesses in the South Coast area, including the largest tourist magazine in the region called Brighton Visitor which has 20,000 copies bimonthly, as well as over 100,000 website visitors.
His other interests include his wholesaler drinks business Brighton Soft Drinks which services over three hundred bars, clubs, cafes, and hotels.
We asked Andrew why joining the Take Me Group worked for his taxi business now and he told us: “Many years ago as a PGA Pro Golfer, working in the Pro Shops at Golf courses, I quickly learned the power of being part of a larger group and network.
"Back then we grouped together Pro Golf shops, so we could make bulk purchases, reduce costs, and increase profits. Much is the same today, the power of the Take Me Group will help my business reduce overhead and increase profits.
"The knowledge that the group will bring will add to my own, and together as a group we will offer the customer a better service.”
We asked Take Me Group’s John Gardner, apart from the amazing Fish and Chips, what had attracted him to the South Coast to extend the Take Me network?
John explained: “The group has been expanding North, East and West, and we already have real strength in the South East areas from Plymouth, through Taunton and up into the Midlands corridor, so I thought it important to work with Andrew and his teams to extend our reach along the southern coast.
"In the end, the real winners here will be the end customers who will be able to book taxis in multiple locations, all with the same great local service delivered by fantastic owners like Andrew.”
Southern Taxis Brighton Ltd service the Brighton areas with Brighton & Hove City Cabs Ltd and the Lewis area with South Coast Taxis, as well as Premier Taxis in Peacehaven.
Having been involved in the industry for 37 years, we asked Andrew what had he seen change and he remarked: “Watching the taxi industry evolve over the past 37 years is like witnessing a high-speed makeover from elastic bands and pens to fax machines, and now, it's all about smartphones, booking apps, and electric vehicles.
"I guess the only thing that has not changed is the eternal struggle to find that lost pen in the abyss between the seats in the taxi."
2024 is looking like it will be another busy year for the team at Take Me Group, and David Hunter explained enthusiastically: “This year is shaping up to be a turbocharged ride for Take Me Group Ltd as we rev up to welcome several new taxi businesses into our ever-expanding network. It will be a year of growth, innovation, and seamless rides.
"If you are ready to hop on board or just want to discuss your taxi business needs, give us a call and let's make 2024 the year we take the transportation game to a whole new level together!”
A disabled man has to travel miles in his wheelchair from Gloucester city centre to his Tuffley home in the early hours after a night out due to the lack of suitable taxis.
GloucestershireLive reports that Luke Griffin, 22, is among those campaigning for more wheelchair accessible licensed vehicles in the city.
He raised the issue at a recent Gloucester City Council meeting and has spoken of the challenges he faces. He usually hangs out with his friends at Matson Rugby Club before heading into town by bus on a Saturday.
But he struggles to get a suitable taxi home and has to travel to Tuffley in his wheelchair with his carer, a close family friend, in the early hours of the morning. “It takes me about an hour or so,” he said.
“The battery is almost dead by the time I get back.
"I’d try and ring a taxi in advance if I know I’ll be going out. But they tell me there aren’t any and then I have to go home on my wheelchair with my carer.
“I’ve had it before when I’m going home down Stroud Road and had one of the disabled taxis drive past me with a lot of people in the back.
"Me and my carer were annoyed about that because they had told me there were no disabled taxis."
Mr Griffin said it would be ideal to have more wheelchair accessible vehicles in the evenings. “I wish it was like Bristol,” he said.
“I got the train to Temple Meads to go shopping there. I came out of the station and there were like 30 disabled-access taxis waiting there. If most of the taxis in Gloucester were wheelchair accessible vehicles it would solve the problem.”
Lisa Griffin, his mother, says the lack of taxis is awful. She’s calling for more to be done for wheelchair accessible vehicles to be available in Gloucester.
“I really don’t get it,” she said. “He can get on the train, he can get on the bus but he can’t have a night out and get a taxi home.
“It’s so unsafe and unfair. There’s no inclusion and I don’t think there’s any excuses for it really.
“His carer has to walk home with him at 3am or 4am from town, past the park, up Stroud Road to Tuffley.
“He doesn’t get home until 4.30am or 5am in the morning, in all weathers.”
Gloucester City Council has approved new incentives to try and get cabbies to provide more disability-friendly hackney carriages and private hire vehicles.
The authority is planning to offer a 50 per cent rebate on operator licences to those who can evidence at least one wheelchair accessible (WAV) vehicle available for bookings during all evenings and during weekends
The council will continue to review and drive to increase the percentage of WAVs available for public use, and promote with hackney and private hire drivers and operators the importance of them providing their service during the evenings and at weekends.
Councillors also agreed to write to the secretary of state for disabled people, health and work asking them to consider a change to legislation to give local authorities powers to mandate operating hours of WAVs.
Source: https://www.gloucestershirelive.co.uk/news/gloucester-news/man-travels-miles-wheelchair-home-9079613
A taxi driver was threatened with a knife during an attempted robbery on Monday, January 29.
The Bucks Free Press reports that the incident, which happened in Bradwell Common Boulevard, Milton Keynes, at around 3.30pm, saw a man get into a taxi when during the journey, he pulled out a knife demanding money from the driver.
The driver then pulled up onto the side of the road and go out of the vehicle.
Police said offender eventually got out of the taxi and walked away. Nothing was stolen and no one was injured.
Investigating officer Detective Contstable Patricia Montoya, based at Milton Keynes police station, said: “I am appealing to anybody who recognises the man in this image to please get in touch with us as we believe he may have vital information about this incident.
“If you are pictured, please come forward as soon as possible.
“To contact us, call 101 or make a report on our website, quoting reference number 43240044712.
“Alternatively, you can provide information anonymously to independent charity Crimestoppers by calling 0800 555 111 or via its website.”
An unlicensed taxi driver who picked up two vulnerable women in Aberdare has been ordered to pay nearly £1,500 in fines and costs.
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On Wednesday 27 July, more than 300 vulnerable youngsters were taken on an all-expenses paid trip to Southport.
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Two men have avoided immediate jail time after a high-speed race left a taxi driver with serious injuries.
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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.
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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.