A man who hit a taxi driver in the face with a broken bottle causing permanent scarring has been jailed for more than three years.
The Lancashire Telegrpah reports that Craig Davies, 38, from Burnley, pleaded guilty to wounding with intent and was sentenced to 40 months in jail at Liverpool Crown Court on Monday 22 April.
The court heard how at around 8am on Tuesday 16 August 2022, a drunken Davies was carrying a bottle of wine and smoking a cigarette when he approached the victim’s cab which was parked in the rank at Liverpool Lime Street station.
The driver refused the fare given the visible level of Davies' condition to which Davies responded by swearing at him and trying to get in the front passenger seat.
Realising the door was locked he began headbutting the window.
Fearing the glass would smash, the driver, who was 62 at the time of the attack, got out of the car and confronted Davies who smashed the glass wine bottle he was carrying on a metal bollard and slashed him across the face with it.
Davies was identified by the victim just minutes later and British Transport Police officers arrested him on suspicion of assault.
Investigating officer DC Juliet Thomas said: “This was a horrifying attack on a man who was simply earning a living and attempting to protect his property.
“The victim has been left traumatised by what happened and feels nervous going about his everyday job, this in addition to the permanent facial scarring which Davies inflicted in his alcohol fuelled rage.
“Being intoxicated and claiming to thus have little memory of such a vicious attack is no defence as is clearly demonstrated by the sentence handed down by the courts.”
A man who crashed his e-scooter into the side of a taxi told the driver “My brakes aren’t working”.
According to the Glasgow Times, Michael Thomas appeared at Glasgow Sheriff Court on Wednesday 17 April, following the collision on Gallowgate on September 16, 2022.
The 46-year-old was heading towards the city centre at around 2.20pm.
At the same time, a man was driving a taxi. He was at the Watt Street junction, about to turn left, when Thomas drove straight into the side of his car.
The taxi driver and another person approached him to make sure he was okay.
He said, “My brakes aren’t working”.
Paramedics attended to check Thomas over, and he had no injuries.
Police offers arrived and found there was no insurance in place. He was cautioned and charged and made no reply.
Thomas, from Blantyre, appeared for sentencing after admitting to driving the electric scooter without due care and attention and failing to keep a proper lookout as well as driving without insurance.
His lawyer said his client’s vision was obstructed at the time.
The defence solicitor added: “He didn’t appreciate that he needed insurance to drive the e-scooter. He is currently subject to a community payback order.
"He is complying and engaging with the order. The unpaid work aspect is now complete.”
Sheriff Jonathan Guy fined him £245.
Police stopped a taxi driver who had been allegedly accepting customers' fares without having insurance in Swindon.
According to the Swindon Advertiser, roads policing unit officers pulled over a Jaguar I-pace on Bath Road near the junction with Victoria Road at around noon on Sunday 21 April, with help from community police teams and an armed response group.
Officers spoke to the person behind the wheel after stopping outside the former museum and art gallery.
A Wiltshire Police spokesperson said the driver of the electric vehicle had been "taking fares with no insurance but swapping registration plates from a second I-pace to pretend it does [have insurance]".
Police say the motorist was also "using someone else's electricity" to charge both vehicles.
The driver has been arrested.
In response to a police post about this traffic stop on social media, one X user replied: "Thanks for all your hard work, trying to keep Swindon and Wiltshire roads safe."
A partially sighted man said he is "scared to use taxis" after he faced discrimination twice in one day because he uses a guide dog. Ryan Moreland said it is not the first time he has felt uncomfortable while using taxis, but said the two incidents were "beyond the pale".
The 37-year-old from Rhiwbina said the first incident happened when he booked a taxi through the Veezu app in order to travel to a hospital appointment at the University Hospital of Wales in Heath on Thursday, April 11.
He said he noticed the taxi driver continue past him and "hide" down his street when they clocked Ryan's official guide dog, Jamie. A Veezu spokesman said a driver had been deactivated from its booking system following the incident.
Ryan told WalesOnline: "I was stood outside waiting for the taxi, then he slowed down and drove to the end of my estate. He released the job [on the app] and then hid there until another driver took my job on. When another driver took my job on, he then drove off. He clocked Jamie and decided he didn't want to take us on."
Ryan said the incident made him 15 minutes late to his appointment, which was booked due to a bleed in one of his eyes. He said he could not believe it when a second taxi driver tried to refuse him on leaving the hospital because of his guide dog, before charging him an additional £5 for the animal.
Ryan explained: "I went to the first taxi and he asked me which area I would like to travel to. Before I could answer with 'Coryton' he looked down and said 'no dogs'. I said he is a guide dog. After about 30 seconds of awkward silence he said 'I need to check' and he went to speak to the driver behind who explained he couldn't refuse to take us. He came back and mentioned £5.
"I misunderstood what he meant and thought he meant a £5 minimum charge, which was okay as my journey was going to be more than £10. It wasn't until I got to my destination that I realised he wanted to charge me extra because I had Jamie. I was charged £20 instead of £13.30 [which was shown on the meter].
"I have autism so I didn't feel comfortable challenging him. I had already challenged him when he said 'no dogs'. I reported it to taxi licensing and they have taken a statement."
Describing how the incidents made him feel, Ryan said: "I'm a very independent person I don't like to rely on taxis, there are one or two really nice drivers but the majority I've felt very uncomfortable with. I feel too scared to get in a taxi now because, what if this happens again? I've had so many bad experiences and then what happened on Thursday was so beyond the pale."
Regarding the first incident a Veezu spokesman confirmed the partner has been deactivated from its booking system while the incident has been referred to Cardiff council's taxi licensing department.
He said: We do not tolerate discrimination and take incidents like this very seriously. We will continue to work with the local licensing authorities and passenger groups to raise awareness and eliminate cases like this.”
It is understood that the driver who picked Ryan up from the hospital was operating as a self-employed hackney carriage. A Spokesman for Cardiff Council's shared regulatory services said: “We have been advised of the allegations and the matters are being investigated by the licensing enforcement team”
Andrea Gordon, external affairs manager for Guide Dogs Cymru, said: “Guide Dogs Cymru is taking a lead role in working with the Welsh Government on its commitment to introduce compulsory disability equality training for all taxi and private hire drivers in Wales, so that guide dog owners no longer have to suffer the crushing refusals that leave many of them feeling like second-class citizens.”
Source: https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/taxi-drivers-hide-refuse-take-29026776
Barnsley Council will not increase the limit on the number of hackney carriages allowed in the town despite there being an ‘unmet demand’, a report has revealed.
According to the Barnsley Chronicle, each year, the council undertakes a demand survey to accurately assess the availability of taxis in the town centre.
There are currently 67 hackney carriages in Barnsley though the report states that despite there being a demand for more, the cap will not be raised.
A survey of the demand was carried out in September, with key stakeholders contacted and questions regarding taxis and private hire vehicles were asked of the general public, private hire and hackney carriage drivers, disability groups and local businesses.
A survey of the taxi ranks was carried out, with 24-hour observations and counts on the main ranks from Thursday until Sunday.
The report states: “There is an issue in getting drivers to work during the busiest late night and early morning periods.
“This is recognised by the trade, however, many drivers do not want to work these hours. The main reasons given for this were driver safety and dealing with difficult customers.
“Seven per cent said they avoided times there might be drunken, violent or abusive customers.”
Taxi marshals were also asked about their roles and what they see whilst working.
“The overall view of the taxi marshals was that, though there was queuing, particularly with their presence there was no significant risk to public safety and people were generally content to wait and happy to be able to return home,” the report added.
“They did not feel there was any shortage of vehicles on any night.
“The small number of incidents reported, however, confirmed that the presence of the marshals was critical to making the operation work in a safe and secure manner.”
The council said: “Any increase in hackney carriage vehicle licences may not make any impact on specific times ie Saturday nights, as we cannot issue licences with restricted usage times,” it added.
“It could simply see a shift from private hire drivers to hackney vehicles without increasing supply, or potentially lead to over-supply in general, reducing the income to existing drivers and potentially pushing out some of the drivers who do operate on Saturday nights.
“Given there has only recently been a hackney carriage fare change, which saw an increase of 30p on the flag and 30p on the mile thereafter.
“It also saw the introduction of a super tariff that saw a further increase of 30p on the flag and the mile thereafter after 1am on Sunday mornings.
“Despite there being unmet demand that is significant we would not introduce more hackney carriages vehicle licences at this time, although other research and a repeated full survey with rank surveys no later than March 2025.”
The council is also set to accept £173,500 from the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority as part of a pilot scheme to introduce CCTV in taxis.
It’s hoped this funding will increase both driver and passenger safety, with the hopes that drivers will be more willing to partake in late night shifts.
A man who hit a taxi driver in the face with a broken bottle causing permanent scarring has been jailed for more than three years.
Michael Thomas appeared at Glasgow Sheriff Court on Wednesday following the collision on Gallowgate on September 16, 2022.
Police stopped a taxi driver who had been allegedly accepting customers' fares without having insurance in Swindon.
'I feel too scared to get in a taxi now because, what if this happens again? I've had so many bad experiences and then what happened on Thursday was so beyond the pale'
Barnsley Council will not increase the limit on the number of Hackney taxis allowed in the town despite there being an ‘unmet demand’, a report has revealed.
The decision has been met with objection and division within the trade in the county as it struggles to recover from the damage caused by the lockdown.
Mohsin Khalid, 36, admitted driving without due care and attention – or reasonable consideration for other persons using the road – and colliding with a passing vehicle.
Bahaaelden Ibrahim, 44, sexually assaulted the victim in Cardiff after she had been out watching a Wales rugby international.
The city has the highest rate of licensed taxis and private hire vehicles.
The government has today launched a consultation on the potential tax impacts of recent High Court judgments on transport legislation on the private hire vehicle sector and its passengers.