Four neighbouring authorities have joined forces in a partnership agreement to safeguard public safety.
According to ShropshireLive, Telford & Wrekin, Shropshire, City of Wolverhampton, and South Staffordshire Councils have all signed a partnership statement that aims to bring a consistent approach to taxi safety across neighbouring authorities.
Deputy Leader Telford & Wrekin council and Cabinet Member for Homes & Enforcement, Councillor Richard Overton (pictured) said: “We’re pleased to lead this partnership and foster a united approach to taxi safety.
“Taxi services operate across council borders, so collaboration and communication are key tools. This agreement will ensure we continue working in a consistent way to protect residents and that all licensed taxi drivers and operators comply with the law.”
Key objectives of this partnership include enforcing rules and regulations uniformly and ensuring the safety of licensed drivers and their vehicles.
Councillor Overton added: "Through collaborative efforts, sharing of information, and joint cross-border enforcement exercises, we are determined to enhance safety measures across neighbouring authorities.
“This statement shows our continued commitment to joint working to ensure that our passengers feel safe and have confidence in the taxi trade. This commitment continues to put public safety at the heart of decision making and enforcement.”
Leader of South Staffordshire Council Councillor Roger Lees BEM said: “This partnership agreement demonstrates the priority of taxi safety across the authorities, and our commitment to continue to work together in a consistent manner to protect our residents.”
Councillor Chris Schofield, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for Planning and Regulatory Services said: “Shropshire Council is fully committed to this partnership agreement, which we believe will strengthen the approach to taxi safety across our respective boundaries and enhance the work that each local authority has already been doing individually and collectively.”
Source: https://www.shropshirelive.com/2024/03/19/news/neighbouring-councils-join-forces-on-taxi-safety/
Plan for Drivers measures
The Department for Transport has published the latest raft of measures from its Plan for Drivers, which will see motorists benefit from smoother journeys and reduced congestion, with local people getting a stronger voice on road schemes that affect them.
As part of its 30-point plan, the latest measures include:
For more information, and to read the full press notice, please follow this link: https://shorturl.at/gpHOY
Local Electric Vehicle (LEVI) Fund
The Government continues to deliver its £381 million Local Electric Vehicle (LEVI) Fund to councils, who can choose where is best to install chargepoints in their local area.
Following the approval of the first 5 local authority applications in February, payments to 46 additional councils from Torbay to Tees Valley have now been approved, worth over £187 million.
Additionally, the local authorities allocated to the second round of LEVI funding will be able to apply to the fund from 2 April in a further boost to the chargepoint rollout.
Alongside, the fund the Department has announced:
For more information, please follow this link: https://shorturl.at/dvDH4
A private hire driver has been fined and put on a warning following shocking parking in a residential road near a Birmingham high street.
BirminghamLive reports that police put photos on Twitter of a Vauxhall Octavia car parked diagonally across a disabled bay and pavement in Ellesmere Road, Alum Rock, near to the busy Alum Rock Road retail area.
The car was dumped across the bay, partially blocking the pavement. And now the driver is set to receive a ticket from police, with their licence to drive a PHV also placed at risk.
West Midlands Police's Washwood Heath police team posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, and said: “Operation Elevate. Ellesmere Road. The registered keeper of this vehicle will receive a ticket through the post and also get a warning letter from Birmingham City Council’s licensing department, being a private hire vehicle.”
The incident is the latest example of poor parking, sparking observers to quip ‘can’t park there mate’.
Source: https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/taxi-driver-slammed-shocking-parking-28832160
Police are attempting to identify a hit-and-run private hire driver who has left two neighbours out of pocket.
StokeonTrentLive reports that the silver Volkswagen Passat turned around on Wignall Road, in Sandyford, on Friday 15 March.
But the driver crashed into a fence as he carried out the manoeuvre - and then drove off.
Now Staffordshire Police have been called in following the incident at 11.50am.
The incident has been shared by Sandyford and Goldenhill Residents' Association.
The association stated: "The silver Volkswagen Passat taxi turned around in Wignall Road and reversed into a concrete fence post.
The impact damaged the post, a fence panel, and a metal gate post.
The taxi driver drove away without saying anything to the property owners or leaving their details.
The residents would appreciate any information in regards to the person responsible for causing the damage."
Police are appealing for witnesses.
Anyone with any information should call the police on 101 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111.
Source: https://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/news/stoke-on-trent-news/neighbours-call-police-hit-run-9171079
Addison Lee drivers will get easier and cheaper electric vehicle (EV) charging on the public network through a new partnership with Octopus Energy.
From today, Monday 18 March, drivers at Addison Lee – London’s largest premium private hire, courier and black taxi provider – will get access to Octopus Energy’s EV roaming service, Octopus Electroverse.
Electroverse’s revolutionary ‘one card, one app’ model means Addison Lee drivers no longer need to download multiple apps and subscriptions. This deal enables them to power up with just one simple tap at most charge point brands in the capital.
This partnership also means Addison Lee drivers will get up to 24% off their charging costs at thousands of Source London and MFG EV Power charge points across London.
Now operating the largest sustainable fleet in London, over the last three years, the firm has spent over £80 million to upgrade its vehicles and ensure it meets growing demand from customers who value quality and sustainable service.
The firm offers fully electric and zero emissions capable vehicles from executive, premium cars, to black taxis. This includes 600 PHEV VW multivans, Audi A6s, and A8s, in addition to the 1,000 fully electric VW ID.4s.
This comes as Octopus’ public charging disruptor has nearly tripled customer numbers over the past year - now the UK’s biggest EV roaming service.
Liam Griffin, CEO at Addison Lee commented: “As the first private hire operator in London to introduce EVs at scale, we have been a pioneer of electrification.
"This also means that we have seen first-hand the difficulties that private hire drivers face when it comes to finding reliable and available charging infrastructure.
"Over the last three years, we have committed to supporting our drivers with this ongoing challenge, and we are pleased to add Octopus Energy to our range of strategic charging partnerships.”
Matt Davies, Director of Octopus Electroverse, said: “Addison Lee has taken brilliant steps towards electrifying its fleet.
"We’re excited to now give their thousands of electric cab drivers access to our super-simple EV charging experience, as well as discounts on key charging networks.”
This is the latest milestone in Octopus Energy’s plans to speed up the transition to clean electric transport.
Its Octopus Electric Vehicles division is now the UK’s largest EV-only leasing business and the company is a pioneer in smart tariffs for EVs.
Its Intelligent Octopus Go tariff uses the company’s tech platform Kraken to charge electric cars when the grid is greenest and cheapest.
Last month, Octopus launched the UK’s first mass market vehicle-to-grid tariff, Octopus Power Pack, enabling free home charging.
Eligible taxi drivers will be contacted directly by Addison Lee to access this Electroverse deal.
Telford & Wrekin, Shropshire, Wolverhampton, and South Staffs Councils have signed a partnership statement that aims to bring a consistent approach to safety across neighbouring authorities.
DfT's latest raft of measures from its Plan for Drivers, will see motorists benefit from smoother journeys and reduced congestion, with local people getting a stronger voice on road schemes.
A private hire driver faces a fine and a warning against their name after parking across a disabled bay and pavement in Alum Rock.
Staffordshire Police have been handed footage from Wignall Road, in Sandyford.
Addison Lee drivers will get easier and cheaper electric vehicle charging on the public network through a new partnership with Octopus Energy.
Uber will pay $178 million to settle a long-running dispute with Australian taxi and hire car drivers who lost out when the company entered the Australian market.
Just before midnight on Friday 5 January a man attacked a taxi driver on being told the vehicle was pre-booked.
Taxi drivers have been trained by police on how to spot county line drug dealers as a series of arrests and drug seizures were made across Norfolk.
They issued warning notices on vehicles illegally parked on Victoria Street taxi rank advising owners that their vehicle can be removed due to the obstruction caused.
Medway Council’s Cabinet approved the change of the starting price from £3 to £4 earlier this week.