Taxi drivers in Cornwall are raising concerns that Cornwall Council's proposal to unify taxi fares across the county could lead to a decline in rural taxi services and increased costs for passengers.

Drivers fear the move is a "backdoor route" to scrapping local fare zones, ultimately pushing drivers towards more profitable urban areas and leaving rural communities behind.

Steven Witchell from Newquay Taxi Forum voiced strong opposition, stating: "On the surface, it may seem like a simple administrative change but in reality, it paves the way for removing the local zones entirely. This subtle shift could lead to a collapse in rural taxi access and service reliability."

He added bluntly, "Let’s be honest, taxis go where the money is."

Witchell explained that Cornwall's six existing taxi zones reflect the county's diverse economic landscape, with urban centers such as Truro, Falmouth, and Bodmin having higher fare opportunities compared to rural and coastal areas with seasonal demand and higher operating costs. He warned that harmonising fares to align with the most expensive zones would lead to higher prices for passengers in quieter areas such as Penwith, Kerrier, and Restormel, potentially making local travel unaffordable.

"This could make local travel unaffordable for residents, while encouraging drivers to abandon rural zones for the more profitable urban centres," he cautioned.

The drivers' concerns go beyond just fares, with Witchell emphasising: "This is about more than fares. It’s about survival." He argued that if fares are the same everywhere and zones are scrapped, drivers will be forced to prioritise profit over serving less lucrative rural areas.

"If fares are the same everywhere, and zones are scrapped, we’ll have no choice but to chase the money. That won’t be the less profitable rural areas, it’ll be Truro, Falmouth and Bodmin," he predicted.

While the council may cite national guidance recommending de-zoning, Witchell pointed out that the Department for Transport's own advice acknowledges that "'zoning may reflect local conditions or historical arrangements and may continue to be appropriate in some circumstances.'"

Critics like Witchell believe the plans are less about improving passenger service and more about council cost-cutting. "By unifying fares, the council is effectively laying the groundwork for de-zoning without any formal debate or consultation," he alleged.

He concluded by highlighting the potential negative impact on vulnerable residents: "The real losers will be the elderly, the disabled, and families in places no one will want to serve anymore."

Witchell passionately defended the current zoned system, stating: "The zoned system isn’t broken. It has evolved organically to reflect the needs of communities across Cornwall from town centres to isolated villages. It ensures fair pricing, viable business, and reliable service where it’s needed most."

He stressed the crucial role of zones in ensuring accessibility for rural passengers, saying: "The zones exist for a reason. They allow rural passengers to still get a cab in the middle of winter, and they let local drivers stay local without being forced to abandon their own communities to chase profit in city centres."

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A 21-year-old Leeds man who threatened to "smash" a taxi driver's face and later kicked a police officer has been jailed for eight months.

Bobby Smith's sentence, which was initially deferred in January, was activated at Leeds Crown Court on April 25 after a judge ruled he had not complied with a previous court order.

His Honour Simon Batiste detailed the incident, which occurred on November 16 last year in Pontefract, stating that Smith "refused to get out of the taxi" and was "threatening to the driver and threatening to smash his face in."

When police arrived, Smith continued his aggressive behaviour, threatening to "knock the taxi driver out."

The situation escalated further when Smith was being transported to the police station. According to Judge Batiste, Smith "made a number of threats of what you were going to the police" and "refused to get out of the police vehicle," leading to the deployment of PARVA spray. Once in the holding cell, Smith then "kicked a female police officer to her leg."

The court also heard that Smith was already in breach of a suspended sentence order from May of the previous year for dangerous driving, with further breaches leading to an extension of his unpaid working hours in September.

Despite the deferred sentence on January 30, which came with conditions to commit no further offences, attend all probation appointments, and complete unpaid work, Judge Batiste found Smith had failed to fully comply.

While the court heard he attended five out of nine appointments, with three absences deemed acceptable by the Probation Service, the judge stated these absences were "not acceptable to him."

Mitigating for Smith, Tom Doyle argued that "custody would be catastrophic for him at this stage and he will be wasting the prospect of rehabilitation." However, Judge Batiste was unconvinced, stating: "It is clear that despite being warned in crystal clear terms if you failed to comply with the order [what would happen] and you have failed. It shows you have no real regard for the order."

Smith will serve half of his eight-month sentence in custody before being released on licence.

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Macclesfield Local Policing Unit joined forces with Cheshire East Council in an operation designed keep people safe.

The operation, which was conducted on Friday 25 April and Saturday 26 April revolved around officers conducting inspections of both locally licensed taxis and those licensed in other council areas that operated in Macclesfield and Poynton.

Over the two nights, officers were deployed to Poynton and Macclesfield Train Stations and taxis ranks, a main hub for taxis registered both in and outside of the two areas.

While at the ranks, officers from both the LPU and Cheshire East Council engaged with the drivers and conducted a number of safety checks, including making sure all vehicle lights were fully operational, drivers were in possession of their IDs and, where appropriate, CCTV cameras were in operation.

They also checked they had road tax and insurance, the driving licence of the driver, whether the taxi is registered correctly, and whether they have the valid permits to operate.

Officers from Macclesfield Beat Management worked alongside officers from the Roads and Crime Unit in Macclesfield Town Centre on Friday and Saturday night conducting inspections of both locally licensed taxis and those licensed in other council areas that operate in Cheshire East.

Over the course of both nights, more than 60 taxis were stopped in Macclesfield and Poynton. Twenty-five of them were issued with Traffic Offence Reports for a variety of offences including having tyres below the legal tread depth, driving without due care and attention, using the Pedestrianised Zone as a cut through, misuse of hazard lights, failing to maintain obligatory lights, a driver not wearing a seatbelt and rear registration mark light not lit during darkness.

Four taxis have been reported to the local authority for licensing offences including failing to display taxi plates correctly.

Inspector Nick Rogers said: “It was really reassuring to see that so many of the taxis that operate in our towns were compliant with the appropriate legislation, with the few found to be in breach being swiftly dealt with.

"Our officers will continue to support the legitimate taxi drivers in and around Macclesfield with this operation. In fact, we expect we will use this tactic in other Cheshire East areas now that we have seen its benefits in keeping people safe.”

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Taxi drivers and passengers in South Staffordshire will soon have the option to activate audio recording during journeys via a new "panic switch" system.

This move by South Staffordshire Council's licensing committee aims to bolster safety following a worrying spate of assaults on taxi drivers in the region.

The decision to permit the installation of CCTV systems with optional audio recording comes after an extensive consultation last year, which garnered significant support for the measure. An overwhelming 88% of the 1,329 respondents believed audio recording would enhance passenger safety, while 96% felt it would better protect drivers.

A council report underscored the escalating safety concerns, referencing "several high-profile assaults on licensed drivers," including the tragic manslaughter of Wolverhampton driver Anakh Singh in October 2022 and the murder of Mohammed Istakhar in Solihull in November 2022.

The report also highlighted a more recent knife attack on a taxi driver in April 2024 after picking up a passenger from Coventry Railway Station.

The report stated that: "Given the risk to the council's drivers, the position on audio recording and its crime deterrent benefits has been reviewed, to provide greater protection to drivers from this type of attack."

While not mandatory, the new policy will allow drivers to install the audio equipment if they choose. Crucially, a "panic switch" will be fitted inside the taxis, enabling either the driver or the passenger to initiate audio recording when necessary.

Greg Bickerdike, licensing manager at City of Wolverhampton Council, which manages taxi licensing for South Staffordshire, clarified that it is not a "mandatory requirement" but will empower drivers to install the equipment.

He emphasised the dual accessibility of the system, explaining: "For the protection of them and passengers' privacy, there will be a switch the driver or passenger can turn on at any time. It's not just a one-way thing, it has to be accessible to both taxi passengers and drivers."

Officials have stressed that this mutual accessibility is paramount, ensuring that both parties can quickly activate recording in a threatening situation.

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At Uber, we believe that movement should be accessible to everyone.

However, some riders still do not use the Uber app because they prefer using cash or don’t have a UK bank card.

By allowing payments in cash we can bring new riders to the Uber app, creating more earnings opportunities for you.

From Thursday 1 May, we will be introducing cash as a payment option for riders and we will be letting you decide if you want to take cash trips.

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