A Private Hire Driver was stabbed in the face after being chased by a gang of eight youths armed with "knives, axes and samurai swords".

Sharaz Khan, of Springfield Street in Bolton, was stabbed in the cheek on Monday night while working in Little Hulton.

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A taxi driver who had his licence revoked by Gwynedd Council has lost his appeal to get it reinstated.

Colin Frazer Owen of CK Cabs, Llanberis , lodged an appeal against the council’s decision in March this year to revoke his hackney carriage and private hire driver’s licence.

Magistrates sitting at Caernarfon heard the licence was revoked following two incidents of violent behaviour - an assault against another taxi driver at Caergylchu Recycling Centre, Caernarfon on May 3 last year and another incident involving a customer in Llanrug on February 9 this year.

Lawyers for the council said the licence was revoked by the authority with immediate effect in order to protect public safety.

Now, following a two-day hearing, magistrates have ruled that Gwynedd Council ’s decision to revoke his licence wasn’t wrong.

As a result Mr Owen lost his appeal and was ordered to pay £5,972 in legal costs.

After the hearing Mr Owen said he disagreed with the evidence presented to the court.

He said the incident at the recycling centre followed a period of alleged harassment.

A police caution was issued after this incident to Mr Owen.

Mr Owen pointed out he had successfully appealed the council's decision and had his licence returned to him last October.

The incident in February involved an intoxicated passenger who he says assaulted him and the police were called.

"I gave the police a statement and that is as far as it went. I understood the passenger did not want to continue with a complaint.

"I was in the surgery with my son when an e-mail arrived to say my licence had been revoked.

"I was not given an opportunity to explain what had happened and I do not have a conviction as a result of this incident. I really had no option but to appeal to the court," he said.

Mr Owen added he was disappointed at the court's decision.

Cllr Gareth Griffith, Gwynedd Council Cabinet Member for Environment said: “We are pleased with the court’s decision which sends a very clear message that incidents of threatening behaviour from taxi drivers who operate in the county will not be tolerated.

“At the hearing, the magistrates found that this individual was not suitable to be a taxi driver.

"Whilst the vast majority of the industry operate with respect, this unfortunate incident shows that Gwynedd Council will not tolerate inappropriate behaviour from drivers and that if necessary, we will defend our decisions in court.”

Source: https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/ck-cabs-driver-who-lost-16595663

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The Crown Court has overturned a decision by Halton Borough Council to refuse 13 hackney carriage (taxi) licences and remitted the matter back to the council with “strong” recommendation to undertake unmet demand survey.

The owner of Frodsham & District Taxis, represented by Kings View Chambers, applied to Halton Borough Council for 13 new taxi licences to operate in the area. Halton Borough Council operates a policy of restricting the number of taxi licences issued by the council. This policy, according to the council, was informed by an unmet demand survey conducted several years ago.

The council was neither able to produce any evidence of when this unmet demand survey was undertaken nor any justification that the number set by it was justified. In November 2018 the council’s Regulatory Committee met to determine the applications. It was argued before the committee that that council had no grounds for refusing the applications for the additional taxi licences because it has no evidence of any significant demand for taxis that are unmet.

The committee’s attention was drawn to the fact that the only discretion they had in the matter was evidence that there was no significant demand for taxis that are unmet. In the absence of any such evidence, it was argued that the committee could not exercise its discretion to refuse the additional taxi licences.

Despite this the Regulatory Committee, on legal advice from officers, decided that there was no evidence before it that would justify them deviating from their policy of restricting the number of taxi licences. It consequently refused all 13 applications. On appeal to the Crown Court, the council sought to persuade the court of its position.

In the absence of any evidence derived from an unmet demand survey (which is national best practice), the council argued, amongst other things, that the number of taxis in its area per head exceeds that of neighbouring authorities, the local taxi trade presented the council with a petition arguing against additional licences and that unmet demand surveys are prohibitively expensive.

The court disagreed with the council agreeing with submissions made by District Taxi’s barrister, Stephen McCaffrey, who argued that assumptions made by the council were not evidence based and the only way to be confident would be to conduct a survey as is the requirement in Government guidance on the matter. The judge in the case stated that the Halton Borough Council has not taken sufficient steps to ensure that such a cap is justified or that that is the appropriate number.

The judge in allowing the appeal remitted the matter back to the council for reconsideration but with a “strong” recommendation that the Halton Borough Council immediately undertake an unmet demand survey so that allocations of taxi licence be done fairly and based on evidence not assumptions. The court award costs against the council.

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Herefordshire Council has adopt a new taxi policy, which includes a mandatory training element for new and existing drivers in relation to safeguarding issues.

Licence holders will be taught to spot potential indicators that should raise alarm bells, and the policy will offer taxi drivers the opportunity to share information "regarding issues surrounding child sexual exploitation, modern slavery and illicit trade practices".

Herefordshire Council has 1,050 licence holders, including Hackney Carriage Proprietors, Private Hire vehicle proprietors and Dual Driver and Operators.

The new training will be provided in conjunction with council Children’s Services, meaning that once a taxi licence is granted, the licence-holder will also be authorised to carry out county transport work on behalf of Herefordshire Council, such as transport to and from schools, and transporting social care clients.

Source: https://www.herefordtimes.com/news/ledbury/17772410.new-taxi-driver-training/

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Three women claim they were left 'fearing for their lives' as their taxi driver sped, overtook on corners and told them to "f*** off" on their way home from a concert. 

On Sunday, June 23, the women, who did not wish to be named, were picked up from Horseheath racecourse, Cambridge at around 2am.

But when they got in their driver's Audi, they say their fun night out took a turn for the worse.

As he drove them home down the A1307, nicknamed the road of death for the number of fatalities it has had, the women say the driver went over speeds of 80mph.

As he came to the end of the dual carriageway the women say he caught up with a vehicle with blue flashing lights.

Apparently the driver, believing this to be a police car first slammed hard on the brakes, however, after realising it was actually an ambulance with its blue light on tailgated the vehicle.

The women say the driver then tailgated the ambulance as the road had now turned into just a single carriageway.

As the road turned into a single carriageway the women said they asked the driver to slow down.

However, they say the driver kept speeding.

One of the women said that she noticed a speed aware sign as they passed through Linton which flashed up as 51mph, despite the speed limit being 30mph.

It was here that the women said the driver overtook the ambulance heading to an emergency.

One of the women said: "As we approached a bend, he decided to risk our lives and overtake [the ambulance].

"One of the passengers in the back screamed 'don't overtake on a bend!', to which he replied 'if anything happens it's my responsibility'."

By this point the three women had told the driver to slow down a number of times. They said that the driver's attitude was becoming more aggressive and that the rap music he was playing loudly in his car was also intimidating.

The woman continued: "We all had a go at him and said we don't want to be killed and that he should slow down and drive responsibly.

"He said 'don't f****** tell me how to drive'.

"I wanted to tell him to stop the car and let us get out as we feared for our lives, however I knew we'd be stranded."

The women said they were so scared by this, that they decided not to tell the driver exactly where they lived, as they feared he might come back if they publicly complained.

But when they told the driver to pull over he then allegedly tried to overcharge them for the trip, despite the cost being prearranged when the taxi was booked.

The women now say they have tried to complain to Panther Taxis Cambridge, but have had no apology or explanation.

CambridgeshireLive contacted Panther Taxis Cambridge for comment but are still waiting a response.

Source: https://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/news/local-news/nightmare-taxi-ride-overtook-ambulance-16587146

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