
A Crewe cabbie has turned a "horrendous" road defect into a miniature pond to highlight the crumbling state of the town’s streets.
Shaine Tench, director of A Star Taxis, placed three rubber ducks into a water-filled pothole, joking that the toys "were having the time of their lives" while trying to make the road "look more pretty."
The stunt is part of a wider social media campaign by Mr. Tench, which includes videos of him lying inside large potholes to grab the public's attention.
He says the lighthearted approach has helped unite the community over a serious issue.
"The more people who talk about these issues the better," Mr. Tench said, noting that the problem in Crewe seems like an "ongoing issue" compared to nearby areas.
Cheshire East Council defended its maintenance record, explaining that heavy rain and freezing temperatures often cause road damage.
While the council aims for permanent fixes, officials admitted that bad weather sometimes forces them to use quick, temporary patches.
A spokesperson stated: "Some of the repairs we make are temporary to make sure that the road is safe," adding that while these fixes "may not be visually pleasing," they are necessary to keep traffic moving.
The council is planning extra repair work through March and urges residents to report defects online.

Lucy Stolzenberg, 74, was driving four passengers when she ran over 58-year-old Rhian Cassidy in Caerau after failing to realise the figure in the road was a person.

While a recent report suggests the council moves forward with the plan, a public consultation revealed a dramatic split in opinion.

Councillor Andy Wray, who represents the Rockingham ward, described his time with the team as an "eye-opening experience" that showed why local residents should feel safe.

Taxi operators have called for the resignation of the Licensing Committee convenor as council failure costs the trade over six months of lost fare increases.

The decision marks a major U-turn on the town’s air quality plans, with officials warning the move is "quite a significant shift" from an already agreed policy

During the operation on Thursday 13 February 2026, a total of 53 licensed private hire and hackney carriage vehicles were inspected to ensure they were safe and legal for passengers.

Members of the Barnsley Town Board are set to receive an update on the scheme, which provided recording equipment to hackney carriages through the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority.

Fraser Allan, who worked for Central Taxis (North East) Ltd, took the firm to an employment tribunal after they began taking £100 a month from his pay following a crash in June 2024.

Thomas Van Holten, 29, appeared at Elgin Sheriff Court following the disturbance on November 30, 2024, which left a driver with a bloodied and swollen nose.

Liberty Mitchell, of Chipping Norton, pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving and driving without insurance following the December 2022 crash on the B4425 in Gloucestershire.

The protest was organised by members of the Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain (IWGB) to demand that Transport for London introduce stronger regulation of ride-hailing companies.

The event recognises drivers across three categories: Driver of the Year, Legacy Driver and Driver’s Driver.

Lancaster City Council has granted a private hire operator’s licence to Uber Britannia Ltd despite denying earlier in the week that they had applied for a licence.

Ian Giles 51 and Jason Dalton 37 stole cars and burgled houses across the city, threatening and assaulting anyone who tried to stop them.

James Whitehouse, 29, has been jailed for 42 months after he and an accomplice targeted the driver as he sat parked near The Golden Cup pub last February.

Local taxi drivers in south Cumbria are facing an uncertain future as out-of-town Uber drivers continue to move into the region, according to Westmorland and Lonsdale MP Tim Farron.

Philip Dookie, who is of no fixed abode, admitted to stabbing and robbing the driver during the incident on Holland House Way last February.

The dispute has become so heated that some frustrated cabbies have reportedly taken matters into their own hands by manually cancelling the charging sessions of the "robocars."

Abdul Samad, 43, was sentenced to 29 months behind bars on Thursday, February 12, after being apprehended at Heathrow Airport last month.

If the licensing committee approves the change, a standard five-mile daytime journey will climb to £15.62, rising from the current rate of £14.30.
