A total of 19 taxis have been stopped in and around Cambridge in a crackdown on vehicle safety and parking on double yellow lines.
Licensing officers from South Cambridgeshire District Council and Cambridgeshire Constabulary carried out the joint operation.
CambridgeshireLive reports that the officials checked taxi driver badges were displayed correctly, vehicles had door signage and that they were carrying a first-aid kit and fire extinguisher.
Officials also cracked down on double yellow line parking on roads around Addenbrooke's Hospital amid increasing complaints from people living nearby.
Patrols found issues with three vehicles parked on double yellow lines - including one taxi parked on double red lines at Addenbrooke's next to a “no parking at any time” sign. Problems were found with identity badges not on display or missing, and door signage not displayed.
More serious issues were found with four vehicles that had tyre tread depth below the legal limit. The vehicle licences were immediately suspended until the tyres were replaced.
One driver was made to remove a large heavy torch secured to the side of his seat, which could be considered an offensive weapon.
If found attached to the seat on any further checks he was warned that he would be arrested. Another vehicle was found with aftermarket window tints, which are not allowed under the current South Cambridgeshire Hackney Carriage and Private Hire policy.
The vehicle will be reinspected at the council offices and, if not removed, the vehicle will be suspended.
Of 19 taxis stopped, only three drivers and their vehicles were found to have no issue. The other 16 were sent either an advisory letter or issued with penalty points against their Council-issued licence.
Cllr Henry Batchelor, Lead Cabinet Member for Licensing for South Cambridgeshire District Council, said: “It was quite concerning that out of the 19 vehicles checked only three had no issues and were fully compliant.
"We will continue with regular spot checks as being compliant with policy is a requirement, not an option. Moreover, it is necessary for both the driver and the passenger's safety and protection."
All drivers using a vehicle with illegal tyres were issued with six penalty points. If they receive further points within the next year - giving a total of 12 points or more - they will automatically be referred to the Council’s Taxi Licensing Sub-Committee to decide on their suitability to continue holding a licence.
Following the operation’s success, it is anticipated further partnership crackdowns will take place at various times throughout the year.
A black cab driver, who fled a midnight hit-and-run and continued picking up passengers in his damaged taxi leaving his victim in the road has been jailed for four months.
MailOnline reports that London cabbie Farid Cheheb, (pictured left) fatally injured Irish barman Shane Scannell, 44, who died in hospital four days later surrounded by his devastated family.
Cheheb, 60, pleaded guilty to failing to stop after a road accident on May 21, 2023.
Cheheb, of Epsom, Surrey, was not charged with a more serious offence as a forensic police investigation found no fault with his driving.
As he was sentenced to four months imprisonment, and handed an eight month driving ban, Cheheb collapsed in the dock at Staines-upon-Thames Magistrates' Court, and was eventually taken away in an ambulance after an hour of medical attention in the court.
Prosecutor Amanda Burrows told the court on Thursday 2 May: "Very tragically it was the consequences of this defendant's actions that led to the death of Shane Scannell.
"Mr Cheheb was dropping off the passenger he was driving in South Street, Epsom when he collided with a pedestrian, Mr Scannell, who had left McCafferty's public house where he worked at around midnight."
Police officers investigating Mr Scannell's death 'considered a number of possible scenarios', the court was told, eventually concluding it was 'very unlikely' the victim had been 'upright and on two feet'.
"Maybe he had fallen and was in the process of getting to his feet when the vehicle collided with the victim and left him with traumatic injuries," the prosecutor said.
"Very quickly after the collision members of the public became aware of Mr Scannell in the road and he was attended to fairly rapidly after the impact and taken to St. George's Hospital, south-west London.
"Police made enquiries and traced the vehicle back to this defendant," said Ms Burrows. "There was damage to the vehicle consistent with the accident and he was arrested and interviewed.
"He said he was aware of the impact and thought he had hit a deer or a fox, but this was not accepted by the officers because the visibility should have allowed him to see what he had collided with."
Father-of-two Cheheb has been in the UK for thirty years, and has a 2009 offensive weapon conviction and one for assault in 2017.
His hackney carriage licence has been suspended for ten years.
His lawyer Suzy Wainscoat told the court: "Mr Cheheb accepts his responsibility for the tragic incident and extends his condolences to Mr Scannell's family and expresses remorse and regret for his actions.
"It is not suggested he was at fault with the standard of his driving. He was not speeding, he was not using his electronic devices, which the police have checked.
"He was not under the influence of drugs or alcohol and he continued to work for a short period afterwards. Mr Scannell was not run over. He was at a low level to the ground, that is the police evidence."
Cheheb's lawyer described him as a 'well known and respected person in Epsom' that had been doing the 'train run' in the town for the last twenty years.
District Judge Julie Cooper told Cheheb the circumstances of the offence were so serious only an immediate custodial sentence could be justified.
"The police investigation shows you would have seen Mr Scannell in the road for ten metres.
"When you knew you had hit something you should have stopped to see what it was, even if it was an animal which you are not required to stop for, but could have called the RSPCA.
"You did not know what you had hit, but it could always be a person. It would take just seconds to see what you had done, but you carried on and picked up two more fares.
"This accident left a man dying in the road to the horror of his family and knowing he was left in that state will weigh heavily on them.
"I cannot pass sentence today other than a custodial one and that must be immediate. I cannot suspend that sentence."
At this point Cheheb collapsed to the floor of the dock and remained breathing, but unresponsive for some time as police and custody staff attended to him.
A York taxi driver who knocked down a pedestrian while speeding close to the city centre has lost his licence and his job.
The York Press reports that Sam Bradley’s actions left the victim with a broken leg and broken ankle, said Sarah Tyrer, prosecuting.
He was exceeding the 30mph speed limit as he drove along Fishergate where it is two lanes wide in the early hours of June 17 last year.
He told police he had finished his shift five minutes before the collision and was on his way home on a road that he drove on regularly.
Bradley, 36, from Bishopthorpe, pleaded guilty to causing serious injury by careless driving at York Magistrates' Court.
District judge Adrian Lower told him: “As someone who works as a professional driver, you would know better than most, there is a reason why there is a speed limit. They are there to be obeyed.
"If you want a taxi licence back you may find it very difficult because of this conviction."
He banned Bradley from driving for 12 months and gave him a 12-month community order with 100 hours’ unpaid work. He must pay £85 prosecution costs and a £114 statutory surcharge.
Bradley’s solicitor Liam Jackson said he had given up his taxi licence.
Ms Tyrer said Bradley had been a taxi driver for nine years and held a driving licence since he was 18.
The pedestrian, a student, came to York to meet up with friends. He was in Fishergate and started to cross the road towards one friend.
The next thing he remembered was lying on the ground and then being in an ambulance en route to York Hospital.
As a result of the collision, he was unable to do a summer vacation job that would have helped pay his living expenses while studying at Leeds Beckett University. He is expected to make a full recovery.
In a police interview, Bradley said the student appeared to be on his phone when he first saw him and didn’t look before stepping into the road.
The taxi driver had no previous convictions.
Mr Jackson said Bradley’s insurance company were dealing with the financial aspects of the collision.
“He takes full responsibility for the offence,” he said. “He accepts he was driving too fast and that was a considerable factor as to how the accident happened.”
Bradley was very remorseful for his actions. Immediately after the collision, he had given first aid to the student.
He had also remained at the scene until the police arrived.
Source: https://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/24294515.sam-bradley-loses-taxi-driver-job-knocking-student/
Wherever you go in the country, it seems you're never far from a Wolverhampton private hire vehicle.
BirminghamLive reports that new data has confirmed the city as the country's PHV capital - with a licensing rate a staggering 500 per cent higher than the second-placed location.
The city, with a population of barely 260,000, had 85.3 licensed taxis and private hire vehicles per 1,000 people - a figure 580 per cent higher than next-placed Newcastle-upon-Tyne, according to a new study by private hire specialist Zego.
Data indicated there were 0.6 licensed taxis per 1,000 people in Wolverhampton, with a huge 84.7 licensed private hire vehicles per 1,000 people.
The figures emerged after other statistics showed 95.5 per cent of drivers applying for a licence from Wolverhampton did not live there. PHVs with Wolverhampton plates have been spotted in Manchester, Bury and York, according to recent social media posts.
One X user also highlighted an "increasing numbers of cars in Blackburn", adding: "Anyone know what that’s all about? It’s not as though the two places are cheek by jowl, is it?"
Wolverhampton Council previously denied it was 'quicker and easier' to get a private hire licence in the city. But data last year showed nearly 9,000 drivers with licences from Wolverhampton lived in Greater Manchester.
Last October, the Bury Times reported a significant price difference between authorities. Under Manchester City Council, it cost £255 at the time to register as a new private hire driver plus costs for tests and between £222 and £342 to register a vehicle, depending on its age.
Under Wolverhampton Council, the application fee for a new private hire driver was £49 for a one-year licence or £98 for a three-year licence and £95 to register a vehicle under ten-years-old.
A Zego spokesperson said: "The results reveal there is a much greater availability of private hire vehicles in the vast majority of cities in England and Wales, than equivalent taxis when accounting for each city’s population.
"The difference between private hire vehicles and taxis is often misunderstood however, with many people assuming the two terms are interchangeable.
Zego looked at data from the Department for Transport to work out the total number of licensed taxis and private hire vehicles per 1,000 people in each city across England and Wales. Results were ranked from highest to lowest to determine which city had the most and least licensed taxis and private hire vehicles per 1,000 people.
A Wolverhampton Council spokesperson previously said: "While Wolverhampton Council has never actively encouraged applications from drivers outside the city, existing legislation requires that if an application is submitted and requirements are met, then the application must be granted.
"The council may not refuse an applicant simply because they live in a different area and it is illegal for licensing authorities to impose a limit on the number of private hire licences it issues.
"Our early adoption of digital technology has allowed us to offer a simple and efficient online application procedure, with the requirement that drivers attend in person for training and strict assessment before an application can be processed. Public safety is of paramount importance to us.
"Partnership working with our licensing colleagues and other agencies shows our commitment to upholding our responsibilities; we expect drivers and vehicles licensed by us to always maintain the highest standards. This is irrespective of the administrative boundary within which they are operating at any particular time.
"Wolverhampton Council takes its enforcement responsibilities seriously and our officers are out across the country, every Friday and Saturday night, working to protect the public."
Source: https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/black-country/youre-never-far-wolverhampton-taxi-29105833
The accelerator pedal in a car, when pressed, releases controlled amounts of fuel into the vehicle's engine. The driver controls this process, actively making micro-decisions that influence the car's speed. This decision-making process demands attention, agility, and immediate action. It's essentially an ongoing mental and physical activity, making it akin to a light cardiovascular exercise.
This comparison is crucial because cardiovascular (aerobic) workouts are known to reduce blood pressure.
The repetitive action of pressing the car accelerator pedal activates certain neural pathways that promote relaxation and reduce stress levels. This phenomenon is similar to the effects observed during activities like stretching your foot, meditation or deep breathing exercises, where rhythmic movements induce a calming effect on the body.
Additionally, the concentration required for driving can distract the mind from stressful thoughts, further contributing to lowered blood pressure.
The competition between demand for blood flow by contracting muscles and maximum systemic cardiac output is discussed as a potential challenge to blood pressure regulation during heavy large muscle mass or whole body exercise in humans. During large muscle mass exercises like running or cycling there are two potentially competing physiological needs. First, because the metabolic costs of muscle contraction can be high and prolonged, skeletal muscle blood flow needs to be matched to the metabolic demands of the contracting muscles.
Second, regulation of blood pressure is also needed to ensure there is adequate perfusion pressure to all organs.
When a driver presses the accelerator pedal, three aspects come into play:
Dominic Wyatt elucidates, 'It's about being in control, the mind-body coordination that driving demands. It's not just helpful for maintaining a healthy blood pressure but can also aid overall well-being.'
Engaging the accelerator does have potential benefits, but it should not be considered a definitive cure-all for hypertension. Please note:
In essence, the prolonged usage of the car accelerator can indeed lower blood pressure, but it's mostly a supplement to a healthy lifestyle, not a standalone solution
Dominic Wyatt, an expert motorist from the International Drivers Association, recommends some tips for maximising the health benefits of driving:
Dominic cautions: '"Remember, driving is no substitute for regular exercise, a balanced diet, or correct medical care. Be aware of its benefits, but don't depend solely on it for your blood pressure regulation."
As the journey ends, you're now aware of how the humble car accelerator might contribute to your health. The next time you press that pedal, remember that you're not just moving forward on the road. You're also potentially working towards a more balanced blood pressure and overall health.
Who knew driving could have such a 'heartening' effect? Drive safe, stay healthy!
A total of 19 taxis have been stopped in and around Cambridge in a crackdown on vehicle safety and parking on double yellow lines.
London cabbie Farid Cheheb, 60, fatally injured Irish barman Shane Scannell, 44, who died in hospital four days later surrounded by his devastated family.
Sam Bradley’s actions left the victim with a broken leg and broken ankle, said Sarah Tyrer, prosecuting.
New data has confirmed the city as the country's private hire vehicle capital - with a licensing rate a staggering 500 per cent higher than the second-placed location.
The repetitive action of pressing the car accelerator pedal activates certain neural pathways that promote relaxation and reduce stress levels.
The single zone could bring about a new 'knowledge test' covering the whole of North Northamptonshire if plans are approved.
Erewash Borough Council is looking to hike a wide range of fees applying to taxi and private hire drivers for the first time since 2019.
A taxi driver whose dangerous driving caused a pedestrian's death just sixteen minutes after he had been warned about his speed by the police was jailed for six years and ten months on 2 May.
North Yorkshire Police said a man ordered the taxi from Pickering to Scarborough, but when the taxi arrived at the seaside town, he ran away without paying.
A sign has appeared on Railway Approach this week reading: “No parking. A £100 penalty notice (reduced to £60 if paid within 14 days) may be issued to any vehicles parked in this area.”