A South Oxfordshire licensed private hire and hackney carriage driver has been slapped with over £1,000 in costs and a six-month driving ban after being caught illegally operating in Reading.

Talal Bin Mumtaz Raja, from Reading, was found guilty of four offences at Reading Magistrates' Court on April 7, 2025.

The court heard how undercover licensing officers from Reading City Council conducted a "test purchase operation" on March 23, 2024. They flagged down Mr Raja's vehicle outside the Penta Hotel on Oxford Road, where he agreed to an unbooked £12 fare to Tilehurst.

While Mr Raja holds a hackney carriage licence, this only permits him to pick up passengers without pre-booking within his licensed borough of South Oxfordshire.

Crucially, the investigation also revealed that his driving and vehicle licences were suspended at the time due to his failure to complete mandatory disability training.

Presiding magistrates delivered a hefty penalty, including fines of £700 for "plying for hire" and "operating without insurance."

Mr Raja was also ordered to pay £1,000 in costs and a £280 victim surcharge. 

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A 19-year-old armed robber who preyed on taxi drivers in Aberdeen has been locked up for two and a half years.

Ellis Gardiner, fuelled by drugs, subjected one driver to a terrifying ordeal, pressing a knife against his face and drawing blood, and later robbed another of £50 while brandishing a screwdriver.

Aberdeen Sheriff Court heard how Gardiner's crime spree also extended to his own family, with the teenager stealing £80 from his mother during a drug-induced state.

Fiscal depute Emma Petersen detailed the first incident, which occurred around 2:30am on 4 August last year. After being picked up in Aberdeen and taken to Mastrick, Gardiner, finding no one at the destination, directed the driver to various streets before launching his attack.

"As soon as the taxi came to a stop, the accused launched himself towards the complainer, seizing him by the arms and pushing him in to the seat," Ms Petersen told the court.

"The complainer felt blood running down his chin and noticed that the accused had a knife pressed against his face.” Gardiner then demanded the driver's phone, wallet, and car keys. The driver refused to hand over his keys, but Gardiner snatched his wallet and fled.

The second taxi driver was targeted on 19 February this year by Gardiner and an accomplice, Steven Gribble, who was previously jailed for the crime.

The court heard that Gribble demanded £50 from the driver after an unsuccessful ATM visit. While Gribble held a screwdriver, Gardiner chillingly stated: "I’ve got something at your back as well."

Sheriff Graham Buchanan had previously described Gribble's actions as a "disgraceful crime" and sentenced him to two years and eight months.

In court, Gardiner admitted to three counts of assault and robbery.

His defence solicitor, Laura Gracie, explained that her client was battling a severe drug addiction at the time and had "gone completely off the rails," admitting he had smoked crack cocaine before the knifepoint robbery.

"He knows that the impact on both taxi drivers will have been serious," Ms Gracie said, adding, "Mr Gardiner does not try to excuse his behaviour, he just wanted to explain why it happened."

She stated that Gardiner was now drug-free and "motivated to change his life."

However, Sheriff William Summers deemed a custodial sentence unavoidable, telling Gardiner that he had committed "three serious offences, two of which involved attacks on vulnerable taxi drivers."

He added, "The notion that these offences could be dealt with by anything other than a custodial sentence is patently absurd." Sheriff Summers ultimately sentenced Gardiner to a total of 30 months in prison.

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A ride in a driverless Waymo taxi turned into a "Black Mirror" moment for two passengers in Austin, Texas, after the autonomous vehicle allegedly stopped in a busy merging lane on a notorious highway and locked them inside.

The incident, captured in a viral TikTok video, has ignited safety concerns about the burgeoning technology.

Passenger Becky Navarro recounted the terrifying experience, stating in her video: "We kept saying 'We're on a highway, please move the car.' Cars kept honking at us, and it would not move. It would not let us out."

Navarro claimed the Waymo vehicle had driven past their intended destination before inexplicably halting under the MoPac Expressway, a road described by one online commenter as "one of the scariest roads in Austin" and a "death trap."

Navarro alleged that the doors only unlocked after she threatened customer support to go live on TikTok.

However, Waymo, a subsidiary of Alphabet Inc., refuted this account, claiming the passengers had initiated the stop by pressing the "pull over" button.

A Waymo representative told The Post: "During their ride, the passengers in the video pressed the ‘pull over’ button and the vehicle pulled to the side of a 30 mph road with a sidewalk. The riders could have safely exited at any time and at no point did our Rider Support team remotely unlock the door for them."

The company insists passengers can pause their ride and exit the vehicle at any point.

Despite Waymo's explanation, the incident has fuelled anxieties about the reliability and safety of driverless vehicles. One TikTok commenter's fear of being "parked on Mopac" resonated with many viewers.

This is not the first time Waymo has faced scrutiny over alleged malfunctions. Earlier this year, tech entrepreneur Mike Johns reported being taken on a dizzying circular route by a Waymo taxi in Arizona, requiring remote intervention from customer service.

While remote operation has proven useful in some instances, such as when Los Angeles police remotely disabled a getaway driverless car, incidents like the one on MoPac raise questions about passenger safety and the technology's readiness for widespread adoption in complex urban environments.

The debate surrounding the safety and reliability of driverless taxis is likely to intensify following this latest incident.

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A trade union has strongly condemned Sheffield City Council's proposal to mandate permanent signage on private hire vehicles, labelling it "expensive and reckless."

The GMB union warns the plan could confuse the public, endanger drivers and damage vehicles.

Nasar Raoof, the GMB's taxi trade representative for Yorkshire, voiced significant concerns, stating: "They don't need to be permanent, unless the council is wishing to take on the cost of damage and repair to the vehicle. It is a draconian measure, and it is not proportionate."

The council defended its position, citing alignment with the Department for Transport's best practice guidance and noting that the proposal includes removing the requirement for operator signage on rear doors.

However, Mr Raoof, a former cabbie, argued the permanent signs pose a security risk, explaining: "[The plan] would mean being identified as a driver even when you're off duty with your family. There will be huge consequences."

He referenced past incidents of abuse against drivers, including one union member whose window was smashed during riots.

An online petition opposing the plan has garnered over 300 signatures, with signatories reporting incidents of vandalism such as having eggs and stones thrown at their vehicles. The petition calls for the council to abandon the permanent signage idea and instead consult with drivers on a less intrusive, non-permanent magnetic sign option.

Mr Raoof dismissed the council's justification based on safeguarding, asserting: "The problems have been addressed, and the customer always has the option of ringing the operator and speaking to someone as well."

He further argued against "collective punishment of thousands of PHV drivers because of one or two bad apples," highlighting that app-based bookings already provide customers with driver and vehicle information for verification.

Councillor Joe Otten, chair of the waste and street scene policy committee, acknowledged the concerns raised, adding: "Our job now is to analyse what people have told us, both taxi drivers and the people who use taxis."

He confirmed that a report on the feedback would be presented to the council's waste and street scene committee in early June. The future of the permanent signage plan now hinges on the council's review of these responses.

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An Uber driver is urging Bradford Council to install CCTV cameras in the Greengates area after his vehicle was targeted by brick-throwing yobs for the second time in a fortnight.

Mohammed Khan, 40, was driving along Harrogate Road on 3 April around 8:45pm when a group of youths, some masked, hurled a brick at his car near Sainsbury's.

Recounting the incident, Mr Khan, who has been an Uber driver for seven years, described the impact as a "huge bang" that left him and his passenger "just in shock at what happened".

He revealed his distress was compounded by a similar incident just weeks prior on 21 March in Ravenscliffe Avenue, where another brick struck his car.

"Myself and the passenger were in shock and pretty distressed, especially as this had already happened to me a few weeks earlier," Mr. Khan explained.

Fortunately, the brick on Harrogate Road caused a significant dent but did not shatter the window. "I thought at the start 'has it come through the window', but luckily it didn’t," he said, adding: "The worst thing is, if I’d had my family, kids, wife with me."

Mr Khan believes the two attacks are the work of the same group of teenagers, suggesting they "are clearly targeting taxis who are trying to make a living".

He now feels anxious driving in the area, stating: "If I see a job in that area '100 per cent I don’t want to take it'." He has even started working in Leeds, finding it "safer".

Frustrated by the lack of action following his police report, Mr Khan is calling for increased surveillance. "I believe there should be 'CCTV cameras everywhere to find out who they are'," he asserted, warning that without intervention, people might feel compelled to "take it into their own hands".

He lamented the police response, saying, "I spoke to police and they can’t do anything about it because there’s no CCTV footage," and expressed concern that "if this carries on it could lead to a serious injury or worse."

In response, a Bradford Council spokesperson stated: "We work closely with the police and use our CCTV network where necessary to prevent, detect and reduce crime."

They acknowledged it was "awful" that Mr. Khan had experienced these attacks and pledged: "We will work with the police to see what local intelligence, CCTV or other information may be available to bring the perpetrators to justice.”

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