A security firm in Oldham has created a new clourse for taxi and private hire drivers in the North West.

 

Ash Mahmood, Director of Clear Watch Security said: "We were recently approached to design and deliver a bespoke safety and customer service course for local private hire and taxi drivers, using our frontline security experience and expertise to help improve driver safety, awareness, and communication skills.

 

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Transport for London (TfL) is today (Tuesday 27 May) seeking views on a number of changes to the Congestion Charge to help keep London moving, encourage the uptake of electric vehicles and promote sustainable travel across the capital.

Every year, congestion costs London billions of pounds which heavily impacts businesses, bus customers and other essential services. The charge is in place to manage traffic and congestion in the heart of London – the central one per cent of the city – at the busiest times of day where road space is most constrained. 

TfL is consulting on changes to the Congestion Charging scheme to ensure that it remains efficient at reducing congestion for years to come, so that central London can continue to thrive.

These new proposals, launched in a public consultation starting today until 4 August 2025, will work to continue managing traffic effectively in central London, and contribute to the Mayor’s long-term vision for a cleaner, greener London, through increased uptake in electric vehicles and more journeys taken by public transport.

Achieving this long-term vision will require cutting congestion further and a greater shift away from petrol and diesel vehicles towards walking, cycling and public transport. It will also require, for those journeys that are taken by car or van, increased adoption of electric vehicles.

TfL has assessed the proposals in this consultation against a ‘do nothing’ scenario, which would include the end of the current version of the Cleaner Vehicle Discount (CVD) on 25 December 2025. Without TfL’s proposals, it estimates next year alone around 2,200 more vehicles would use the Congestion Charging Zone on an average weekday during charging hours – leading to increased congestion and undermining the current scheme.

To provide further support for people and businesses who have invested in, or are considering switching to an electric vehicle, TfL is proposing a new CVD from January 2026 that has a higher discount for journeys that are harder to switch to walking, cycling and public transport, such as those made by vans for commercial purposes. The discount will change over the timeframe outlined in the consultation to give support to those making the green transition, while also keeping London moving.

This builds on an ongoing package of support from City Hall for businesses to switch to zero emission, including the Mayor's scrappage scheme which has provided financial assistance to help eligible London residents, businesses and charities, to scrap, donate or retrofit vehicles that do not meet the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) emissions standards. Delivered jointly by the Mayor and TfL, the Mayor's Air Quality fund (MAQF) has provided boroughs with £27 million in funding, matched by £20 million in funding/resources from boroughs and partners to help projects working to improve air quality in the capital. This is alongside action to increase the number of public Electric Vehicles (EV) charging points in the capital to 40,000 by 2030.

The proposed new discount will be introduced in two phases: 

From 2 January 2026:

• 50 per cent discount for electric vans, Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs), light quadricycles and heavy quadricycles registered for Auto Pay
• 25 per cent discount for electric cars registered for Auto Pay

From 4 March 2030:

• 25 per cent discount for electric vans, HGVs, light quadricycles and heavy quadricycles registered for Auto Pay
• 12.5 per cent discount for electric cars registered for Auto Pay

To make it easier for drivers to access the discount, it is proposed that it will be applied automatically from DVLA data, rather than having to separately register and prove a vehicle meets the standards. If the changes go ahead, drivers with eligible vehicles will simply need to sign up to Auto Pay to receive the discount.

The Congestion Charging Scheme is constantly kept under review and the charge level has been unchanged since 2020.

To ensure it remains effective, it is proposed that the charge level is increased from £15 to £18 from 2 January 2026 – the first increase in five years. Central London is already one of the world’s best-connected places, helping to support sustainable travel; zone one alone has 71 train stations and with 700 bus routes serving the London area, people living, working and visiting in the zone have many sustainable alternatives to driving. London's Cycleways total network is now more than 400km, quadrupling in size from just 90km in 2016.

From 1 March 2027, it is proposed that eligible new applicants for the 90 per cent Residents’ discount will only be able to receive the discount for an electric vehicle. This will help to incentivise the shift to the cleanest possible vehicles and give people moving into the zone time to plan ahead. Those who are already registered for the discount ahead of this date will not see any changes, reflecting that they might be reliant on their current form of transport.

TfL is also consulting on some proposed changes to the Mayor’s road user charging guidance, which would allow the Congestion Charge to be increased each year in line with Tube fares, inflation plus 1 per cent or a lower amount. These increases would only apply to the Congestion Charge and not the ULEZ. The new proposed procedure would create consistency with the approach that applies when public passenger transport fares are set and would ensure that public transport does not become proportionately more expensive than driving in central London.

When the Congestion Charge was introduced in 2003, there was a 30 per cent reduction in congestion within the zone and a 15 per cent reduction in circulating traffic in the first year. It also boosted bus travel by 33 per cent and contributed to a 10 per cent shift in people using public transport or active travel. Analysis shows there would have been three million additional journeys by car across London in 2019 without the changes TfL has introduced to encourage more sustainable travel patterns over the last couple of decades, of which the Congestion Charge was a critical first step.

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VNV Global AB (publ) (“VNV Global”) has announced that the previously disclosed Gett transaction will not proceed to closing. As a result, VNV Global will remain a shareholder in Gett.

Despite extensive efforts to complete the transaction, VNV Global and other existing Gett shareholders together with the prospective buyer have now taken the decision to not move forward to close the transaction.

VNV Global is excited to remain a shareholder for the next chapter of Gett’s journey. 

The company continues to see strong operational momentum and has delivered gross bookings of approx. USD 520 million [1] and EBITDA of approx. USD 17 million [1] during the last twelve months ending March 2025.

Cash and cash equivalents exceeding USD 60 million [1] as at March 31, 2025.

Given Gett’s strong performance and cash generation, VNV Global expects the company to make a one-off dividend distribution to shareholders later this year, whilst continuing to invest in sustainable long-term growth.

As an active and significant minority shareholder, VNV Global remains committed to working alongside Gett, its management, and other shareholders to drive value creation for all stakeholders.

[1] As per Gett’s management accounts (unaudited)

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A joint operation between Wakefield Council and West Yorkshire Police on May 12 led to the suspension of five taxi vehicles for serious safety breaches, underscoring a commitment to public safety and licensing standards.

Out of 26 taxi vehicles inspected in Ossett and Stanley during the day of action, five were immediately taken off the road. 

Violations included critical safety failures such as the absence of a fire extinguisher and faulty lights. Additionally, four drivers were issued formal warnings for failing to display their identification licence badges.

Councillor Daniel Wilton, Wakefield Council’s Cabinet Member for Communities, emphasised the paramount importance of passenger safety. "Passengers’ safety must always come first. Whilst we know that the vast majority of vehicles we license are in good condition we are determined to ensure that the minority that aren’t are tackled," Cllr Wilton stated.

This targeted operation is part of an ongoing effort, with joint partnership checks now taking place weekly across the district. Taxis from all areas are subject to inspection by police and enforcement officers to ensure compliance.

PC Simon Lovidge from Wakefield North West NPT hailed the operation as a success. "The operation held with partners was a success, and not only did we prosecute people committing offences, but we also educated vehicle users around the law and their responsibilities," PC Lovidge said. 

He added that such initiatives "not only keeps road users safe, but also ensures people are operating businesses in accordance with the correct rules and regulations." 

Further operations are planned for different areas of the Wakefield district in the coming months.

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Taxi drivers in Dunfermline are facing an increasingly hostile environment, battling rampant verbal abuse and frequent fare dodging, leading to a significant loss of experienced drivers.

The owner of a local taxi company has spoken out, revealing the severe impact these issues are having on the profession.

"We don’t get any respect in society because we’re taxi drivers. It’s as if somebody with a certain type of job can say whatever they want, and we just have to shut up and listen," the unnamed owner stated, highlighting the pervasive disrespect drivers encounter. 

He lamented the departure of skilled personnel, saying: "So many good drivers just don’t have the stamina to put up with it."

The businessman stressed the vital, yet undervalued, role of taxi drivers: "Without taxi drivers, good luck when you’re drunk and you need to get home. We’re working and paying tax, but we’re bottom of the list because of our profession." 

He added: "The way we're being treated is horrible, and that’s when we have cameras. Imagine if we didn’t."

Alarmingly, the verbal abuse frequently escalates to physical violence. Recent years have seen shocking incidents, including a drunk passenger choking a taxi driver at 70 miles per hour and, more than a decade ago, a driver suffering a cardiac arrest after a knife attack. 

"I’ve got a thick skin, and so do most of my drivers, but when someone puts their hands on you, enough is enough," the owner asserted.

Fare dodging, however, remains the most common and frustrating issue. The owner claims that support from authorities is virtually non-existent. 

"I’ve reported around ten incidents, and never had a penny back. It’s always that police can’t find the person involved," he revealed, adding: "It all adds up, but you can’t do anything. The situation is far worse than when I started it 2017."

The lack of effective police response has left drivers feeling abandoned. "We don’t want to phone them, they come and take a statement, then it’s phone call after phone call, but nothing else," he said. 

He suspects a staffing issue within the police force, noting: "I don’t know whether it’s a lack of staff and police officers, but it’s been worse since Covid. There was always trouble, but before there was a bit of help. Now nobody will turn up."

Police recently confirmed they are investigating an alleged assault on a taxi driver during a journey from Dunfermline to Rosyth, a testament to the ongoing challenges faced by these essential workers.

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