Taxi drivers in Windsor and Maidenhead are raising concerns about competition from out-of-town Uber drivers as they face an increase in their own licence fees.
The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead (RBWM) has approved a switch from annual £100 licences to three-year licences costing £336, a £12 annual increase.
The council cites rising licensing service costs as the reason for the increase, stating a projected £23,000 shortfall in 2025/26.
At a licensing panel meeting, taxi drivers criticised the council for not applying similar charges to Uber drivers operating in the borough but licensed elsewhere, such as with Transport for London (TfL).
Sultan Jaffri, a taxi driver representative, argued that the council's revenue loss stemmed from TfL-licensed Uber vehicles working within the borough, not from local drivers. "The main loss of revenue to the council is having TfL operated vehicles in the borough working for Uber – not having the vehicle licensed by RBWM,” Jaffri stated.
He urged the council to consider the impact of such decisions on local taxi drivers. Jaffri further suggested that more drivers would apply for local private hire licences if out-of-town Uber drivers were subject to the same regulations.
RBWM Trading Standards and Licensing Manager, Greg Nelson, acknowledged the competition but stated the council could not prevent Uber drivers licensed elsewhere from operating in the borough.
Councillor Jack Douglas expressed sympathy for the drivers' concerns, noting the challenges they face with rising costs and competition from outside operators. "I do want to express some sympathy towards Mr Jaffri and what he’s saying that times are hard for drivers, costs are going up and you’re getting bitter competition from operators who are undercutting you from outside the borough," Douglas commented.
The panel also agreed to extend the penalty point accumulation period for drivers from one year to the three-year licence term.
Drivers accrue points for offences such as parking violations and disrespectful customer service, facing review after accumulating 12 points which.
While taxi driver representatives deemed the previous one-year limit “unfair,” Councillor Gurch Singh defended the new policy, stating: "What this policy will do effectively is keep the drivers on their toes and will allow residents to know we take drivers’ standard and driver behaviour very seriously.”
He also praised the high standard of drivers in the borough.
A child was left "shaken up" after being approached by a man in a white taxi near William Morris School in Banbury on Thursday morning, February 13, at around 8:55 am.
The child was unharmed in the incident, Thames Valley Police confirmed.
The driver is described as having "darker" skin and a black beard.
The make and model of the white taxi are currently unknown.
Police are appealing for information from anyone who witnessed the incident, recognises the vehicle, or has any other relevant details.
"The child was unhurt but shaken up by this incident and we can state there have been no other reports of a similar nature," the police statement read.
They urge anyone with information, including the driver themselves, to contact them, quoting reference number 43250073307.
"We will provide updates as soon as we can," the statement concluded.
Woking Borough Council has announced a raft of changes to its taxi licensing services, set to roll out progressively, with key updates taking effect from April 2025.
The council aims to modernise the system, focusing on environmental sustainability, improved accessibility and streamlined processes for drivers and passengers.
A significant push for greener transportation will see all wheelchair accessible taxis mandated to become ultra-low emission vehicles (ULEVs) or fully electric by March 31, 2026.
This initiative follows existing regulations that require hackney carriages to be under five years old and emit no more than 75g/km of CO2, and private hire vehicles to have a 5-star NCAP safety rating and meet Euro 6 emission standards.
The council also maintains an age limit for licensed vehicles, generally 12 years, with wheelchair accessible taxis allowed to operate up to 15 years.
Accessibility is another key focus. The council plans to prominently feature wheelchair accessible vehicles on its website, allowing residents to easily identify and access these services.
Drivers with compliant vehicles are encouraged to contact the council to have their details published online, with their consent. To qualify for promotion, the vehicle must be new and comply with the Disability Discrimination Act.
The council is also overhauling its online presence, with revamped licensing webpages and enhanced online forms slated for launch.
Recognising the current website's navigational challenges, the council has partnered with digital experts to create a more user-friendly experience for drivers seeking information and completing applications.
Finally, Woking Borough Council has announced fee adjustments, effective from April 1, 2025.
The new pricing structure includes:
• Extra medical submission (£25)
• Driver renewal for three years (£340)
• Driver renewal for one year (for drivers aged 60+) plus medical submission (£173)
• Vehicle renewal (£250)
• New operator/operator renewal (£370)
• Knowledge check (£50)
The council encourages drivers to stay informed of these changes to ensure compliance.
A 23-year-old man, Isa Ali, has admitted to drug dealing and dangerous driving after being caught with £105,000 worth of cocaine and cannabis in a taxi.
Ali was apprehended in Glasgow's Pollok area on April 20, 2021, after police officers noticed a “strong smell” emanating from the taxi's boot.
Prosecutor Danielle McGuinness told Glasgow Sheriff Court that officers in a CCTV van detected the odour of cannabis coming from the vehicle.
"Other officers were alerted and stopped the taxi driver - Ali was the passenger in the vehicle," McGuinness explained.
The court heard the driver had picked up Ali and transported him to various locations before Ali placed items in the boot.
A subsequent search uncovered 177 grams of cocaine worth £5,000 and 14 kilos of cannabis valued at £100,000.
Ali pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of both drugs. He also admitted to dangerous driving stemming from an incident on January 5, 2022, in Nitshill.
On that occasion, Ali was observed driving a BMW erratically, accelerating and decelerating repeatedly, and weaving between lanes.
He attempted to evade police but was stopped when an officer positioned himself in the road.
Sheriff Andrew McIntyre deferred sentencing until next month for background reports.
Ali was disqualified from driving and granted bail.
A Milton Keynes private hire driver has been fined £760 and received six penalty points after being caught driving an unlicensed vehicle with an illegal tyre as well as no insurance.
Kashif Iftikhar Butt pleaded guilty at MK Magistrates Court following an investigation by Milton Keynes Taxi Enforcement.
Butt's illegal tyre was initially spotted outside MK Central station in May of last year, leading to the suspension of his taxi licence.
Despite this, he continued to operate the vehicle without replacing the faulty tyre, and was subsequently caught again. The fine included a £160 victim surcharge.
Cllr Mick Legg, Cabinet Member for Regulatory Services, emphasised the importance of passenger safety, stating: “Taxi drivers are in a position of trust to transport passengers safely to their destination.
"Unsafe vehicles put passengers and other road users at risk.”
He added, “Customer safety is our number one priority and we will act against any private hire drivers who fail to maintain their vehicles to a safe standard.”
At a licensing panel meeting, taxi drivers criticised the council for not applying similar charges to Uber drivers operating in the borough but licensed elsewhere, such as with Transport for London (TfL).
A child was left "shaken up" after being approached by a man in a white taxi near William Morris School in Banbury on Thursday morning, February 13, at around 8:55 am.
Woking Borough Council has announced a raft of changes to its taxi licensing services, set to roll out progressively, with key updates taking effect from April 2025.
A 23-year-old man, Isa Ali, has admitted to drug dealing and dangerous driving after being caught with £105,000 worth of cocaine and cannabis in a taxi.
A Milton Keynes private hire driver has been fined £760 and received six penalty points after being caught driving an unlicensed vehicle with an illegal tyre as well as no insurance.
The Climate Transformation Team is spearheading the initiative, seeking input from those who would be most affected by such a change.
Glasgow's Low Emission Zone (LEZ) is proving a significant challenge for some taxi drivers, with licence renewals being denied and drivers struggling to find compliant vehicles.
The move follows a petition submitted in January by 37 members of the Worthing Taxi Trade, citing "unprecedented inflation since Covid" and rising operational costs.
The incident occurred on Hurst Street, in the city's Gay Village, at approximately 11:10 pm on Friday, 22 November 2024.
A 26-year-old Derby man has been sentenced to six years in prison after a violent robbery, high-speed chase, and subsequent arrest.
Significant changes are on the horizon for Guildford's taxi ranks as the town centre's long-awaited North Street redevelopment project gets underway.
Metropolitan Police detectives are urgently seeking a taxi driver who may hold crucial information in the death of a 75-year-old woman found in her Tottenham home.
Out of fifteen taxis stopped, ten were found to have issues, ranging from incorrect signage to serious vehicle defects.
Cowes Taxis, owned by Peter Dibsdale, has been fielding requests for rides from patrons in Cowes, Phillip Island, Victoria – over 10,000 miles away in Perth.
David McComb was observed by a licensing officer vaping in his blue Skoda on Canal Street, Saltcoats, on 23 December.
Christopher Campbell, 47, owner of Rhyl Cabs Ltd, reported his profile was disabled in the early hours of February 1st, leaving him "finding it hard (for his business) to survive" without the crucial online presence.
U-Ride, based on Magdalen Road, claims as many as 30 of its drivers have been penalised with £100 fines for picking up and dropping off passengers.
Magistrates decided that Akmal Sakander, operator of Central Private Hire based in Keighley Rail Station, was not a “fit and proper person” to run a private hire business.
At 1.30am on 12 May 2024 a taxi driver picked up two male passengers from Chorley taxi rank.
Take Me has successfully concluded its 12-month Charity of the Year partnership with the NSPCC, raising an impressive £15,200.20p for the children’s charity.