A drink driver who was caught riding on an e-scooter on the M5 by police officers was told it was "not the most sensible thing you have ever done in your life".
DevonLive reports that Avon and Somerset Police’s Control Room received numerous reports of a man riding an e-scooter on the hard shoulder of the motorway northbound between Junction 25 for Taunton and Junction 24 for Bridgwater at around 3am on December 29, 2023.
Prosecutor Samantha Barley told Taunton Magistrates’ Court how officers quickly sprang into action and caught Jamal Rabeh riding the e-scooter in dark clothing on an unlit section of the M5 in “poor” weather conditions. Officers lit their blue lights to ask Rabeh to stop for his own safety and for other drivers.
She said: “The police control room received numerous reports regarding a male riding a scooter on the hard shoulder of the motorway.
"Police officers were dispatched and found the male on the M5 at junction 25 riding an electric scooter. The officer called the male to stop. The male was identified as the defendant. A roadside breathalyser test was conducted due to the smell of alcohol."
Rabeh underwent a roadside breathalyser test and gave a reading of 71 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35 microgrammes, SomersetLive reports.
The court was not told why Rabeh was riding on an e-scooter during the night, but Ms Barley noted that Rabeh only held a provisional driving licence and had no insurance on the vehicle.
Jamal Rabeh, aged 29 of Stanley Close, Staplegrove, was arrested and charged with driving while under the influence of alcohol, driving without insurance and being a learner driver on a motorway. At a brief court hearing, Rabeh pleaded guilty to the charges.
Sally Donaldson, defending, told the court that Rabeh originally intended to use the e-scooter to travel to work in Taunton and had been working as a bartender at the time of the incident. He also accepted he would lose his provisional licence due to the drink driving conviction.
Chair of the Magistrates’ Bench, Dr Peter Reed, was unimpressed with Rabeh’s actions. He told him: “This is not the most sensible thing you have ever done in your life. Driving an e-scooter on the motorway is not only going to be dangerous to you but dangerous to the general public.”
Rabeh was banned from driving for 20 months and ordered to pay fines of £320, a £128 surcharge and court costs of £85.
Source: https://www.devonlive.com/news/uk-world-news/m5-e-scooter-riding-not-9045015
A new Taxiwatch scheme has been launched in Chorley, to help keep residents safe at night.
According to the Lancashire Post, it's the brainchild of Shaz Malik from the Chorley Taxi Association (CTA), who wants to use the resources already available in the town to support police and create a safer environment.
The idea is that all taxi drivers who are members of the CTA would report any incidents or concerns to the body, who will then liase with police.
The association has purchased a town radio and joined the business reporting team to help facilitate quick action.
Mr Malik said: "Sometimes you have to take the Batman approach - safeguarding your home town through collaboration." "It's impossible for the police to patrol Chorley"
Mr Malik added: "Our drivers are always on the move in Chorley. We saw an opportunity to contribute positively to the community. It’s impossible for the police to patrol Chorley, our drivers can act as a support network by reporting any incidents they come across which then creates additional protection for the people of Chorley.
"To implement this effectively, we will need to purchase additional radios. This way, even if one driver is out of town, there will still be others drivers covering in Chorley.
"Additionally, other trade members can post messages on a group, which will also be reported by the driver with the radio. By utilising the resources we have, we aim to make Chorley a safer place especially at night."
Mr Malik believes a collaborative effort between taxi drivers and the police will discourage potential criminals and significantly decrease crime rates and anti-social behaviour.
He added: "With over 100 cameras installed throughout Chorley and the taxi network actively involved, this initiative provides a cost-effective solution for the police.
"The presence of vigilant taxi drivers ensures peace of mind for the community, as they actively patrol the area and report any criminal activities. Moreover, all taxi drivers are DBS checked, making them an ideal partner for the police and the council.
"This innovative approach distinguishes us from other towns and will have a positive impact on Chorley, including a slight boost in property values, making it an even more desirable place to reside."
There are additional plans to map out all the CCTV cameras of Chorley Council and provide the drivers with the locations, so that in case of an emergency, they can park their vehicle under a camera and be in a 'safe pocket'.
This comes as Lancashire Police ask residents and businesses to register their CCTV cameras on a police database to make it easier for them to catch and convict criminals.
Mr Malik thanked members of the CTA for their help with Taxiwatch. He said: "We are extremely grateful to the CTA trade members only for making this possible. Trade members have contributed to the CTA, and we urge the people of Chorley to support the local taxi trade."
The CTA is currently in the process of developing association labels for vehicles, which will enable easy identification of CTA-affiliated taxis.
Mansfield District Council has approved significant changes to its Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Vehicle Policy, directly impacting the local taxi industry.
The West Bridgford Wire reports that the amendments, recommended by the Licensing Manager will be discussed in a report to the Licensing Committee next week.
The changes come in response to the evolving nature of modern vehicles and the feedback from the taxi trade and the council’s Fleet Services.
Fleet Services, which is responsible for taxi vehicle inspections, has identified ongoing issues due to the specifications of modern vehicles.
Key Policy Amendments
• Spare Tyre Requirement Altered: Modern vehicles often come without a full spare wheel, instead equipped with a smart tyre repair kit. The current policy has been limiting vehicle choices for taxi drivers due to this. The revised policy will now accept a smart repair kit or run-flat tyre as alternatives to a full spare wheel. But passengers will not be carried in vehicles with a run-flat tyre or a temporary tyre repair until a full specification wheel is refitted.
• Tow Bars and Trailers for Luggage: A significant and much-discussed change is the approval of tow bars and trailers. This amendment will allow taxis to carry more luggage, addressing issues especially prevalent in airport runs where luggage often exceeds boot capacity. The policy change aligns with specifications from other licensing authorities and responds to the trade’s request for better luggage handling solutions.
Implementation of the policy changes will permit vehicle to be equipped with a tow bar which will enable the use of trailers. This will allows vehicles to effectively carry luggage when boot size is limited.
• Reduction in Brake Horse Power Requirement: The minimum brake horse power requirement for vehicles has been reduced from 90 to 80. This change is in line with the performance of modern vehicles and will offer a broader range of vehicle choices to drivers.
These amendments are designed to offer greater flexibility and choice to taxi and private hire drivers, improving their ability to meet customer needs without compromising public safety. The changes reflect the modernisation of vehicles and ensure that the taxi fleet remains up-to-date with the latest vehicle technology.
There was no public consultation on these amendments, as they were not deemed to have a significant impact on passengers or the trade. However, the changes were based on feedback from the taxi trade and the council’s Fleet Services.
The council says the amendments align with its priorities, including supporting local businesses and ensuring the safety and welfare of children and vulnerable persons using taxi services.
They are also in compliance with legal standards and the Statutory Taxi & Private Hire Vehicle Standards issued in 2020.
Taxi drivers at Stansted Airport have been taught how to recognise the signs of child exploitation.
According to the Saffron Walden Reporter, Essex police officers spoke to 106 taxi and private hire vehicle drivers on Saturday, January 13, giving them information from the Children's Society.
The information from this operation will be fed back to the Home Office, and will help produce a national programme to ensure taxi drivers receive vulnerability and exploitation training.
Officers identified that around a third of the drivers they spoke to had not had any form of training to help recognise child exploitation.
One driver was also dealt with for not having insurance.
Superintendent Phil Stinger said: "Protecting children from being targeted and exploited by criminals, preying on their vulnerabilities, is one of our key priorities.
"Taxi drivers can play a really valuable role in this. They come into contact with a huge number of people every day so can be really effective in recognising behaviour they don’t think is right.
"So it’s really important we engage with them and make them aware of signs that a child is being exploited.
“I want to thank Stansted Airport for their support in this work."
Similar activity will take place around other parts of Essex in the coming months.
Two new accessible taxi licences have been issued in Guernsey.
Yahoo News reports that the States said it had now allocated its maximum number of eight accessible licences.
Accessible taxis are fitted with shallow wheelchair ramps, alongside other specialist features, to cater for those with disabilities.
Drivers with an accessible taxi licence receive specialist training on the carriage and wellbeing of those with a disability, the States said.
The new licences have replaced two others, which were returned voluntarily in 2023.
Source: https://news.yahoo.com/accessible-taxi-licences-issued-guernsey-062814252.html
An unlicensed taxi driver who picked up two vulnerable women in Aberdare has been ordered to pay nearly £1,500 in fines and costs.
Cleethorpes taxi drivers are breathing a sigh of relief after council enforcement officers cracked down on vehicles illegally parked in designated taxi ranks.
A Barry man has avoided jail after launching a drunken attack on a taxi driver who refused him entry to his vehicle.
Jersey’s taxi service is in crisis, with driver numbers plummeting by more than a quarter since 2014, a new report has revealed.
On Wednesday 27 July, more than 300 vulnerable youngsters were taken on an all-expenses paid trip to Southport.
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.