Uber makes peace with German taxi drivers

UberTaxi launched in Berlin (Source: Getty)

Uber has launched its UberTaxi service in Berlin and Hamburg after a series of struggles with German courts.

UberTaxi, which operates in London and New York, allows users to hail a licensed cab. Furthermore, Uber will be changing its UberBlack service to comply with Berlin regulations.

The prices are, usually, lower than those of traditional cabs and give taxi drivers additional business when they would otherwise have been on standby.

The San Francisco-based company has been at constant loggerheads with regulators and the German taxi industry, with courts in Berlin and Hamburg upholding bans on the UberBlack and UberPop on Friday.

Uber's Germany spokesman Fabian Nestmann, commented:

Uber is committed to increasing the choice for consumers and drivers and helping them make personal mobility more efficient. Opening our platform for taxis in Germany with UberTaxi, our on demand service, is another step towards that goal

Uber's decision to adjust its service to meet Berlin's regulatory requirements comes shortly after the company's vice president for Europe, Middle East, Africa and Africa Niall Wass softened the firm's tone on regulation.

Wass indicated Uber was ready for a more open dialogue with lawmakers:

We're open for that debate, if they come to us and say we like what you're doing, but here are our concerns for a particular market.

Yesterday, Nestmann echoed Wass's remarks:

As a matter of course we respect the German legal system and work to adapt our services to comply with the regulatory framework.

We remain convinced, however, that there should be an open dialogue on how the current provisions of the German Transportation Act and how it can be adapted to embrace the technical possibilities of the 21st century.

Uber has not given up the fight in Berlin and is appealing the Berlin court ruling. Last week, UberPop launched in Madrid much to the chagrin of Spanish taxi industry.

The ride-sharing company will certainly be hoping to have a smoother ride expanding in Spain than it has had in Germany. 

http://www.cityam.com/1412072621/uber-makes-peace-german-taxi-drivers?

LONDON. CABWISE, Lets hope its a hoax.

www.taxileaks.blogspot.co.uk

                http://cab4now.com/cabwave/

Manchester.


A young woman was sexually assaulted by a thug 

posing as a taxi driver after a night out at a Freshers’ 
Week event.

The 19-year-old left the University of Manchester’s Students’ Union on Oxford Road in Manchester city centre after attending the Pangaea night.

After looking for a taxi, she approached a car outside The Holy Name Church. The man inside said he was a taxi driver, so she got in.

But she was driven to an unknown location and sexually assaulted. The pervert then dropped her off in Fallowfield and drove off.

The terrifying ordeal happened in the early hours of the morning on Sunday, September 21.

The woman is now being supported by specially trained officers.

Thousands of students descended upon the university’s Students’ Union for the event on Saturday 20, one of a number Freshers’ Week nights out.

The man was mixed race, in his 30s, thin with short, shaved hair and wearing glasses. The car was a dark coloured saloon.

Police are now appealing for witnesses to come forward - particularly those at the Pangaea event - and are urging students to only use black cabs or to pre-book licensed taxis.

Det Con Elizabeth Howe said: “This was understandably very distressing for this young woman and she is being fully supported by specially trained officers.

“We would like to hear from anyone who was out in the area or at the Pangaea event itself last Saturday night into the early hours of Sunday morning, who may have any information that could assist our investigation.

“We would also like to remind the public to use licensed taxi companies by either pre-booking or going to a designated taxi rank.

“Stay together on a night out, and never get into an unknown car without checking it is a licensed taxi first. If unsure, go to a taxi rank
 particularly if you are on your own.”

www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/woman-sexually-assaulted-bogus-taxi-7842821?

------------------------------------------------------

This is dreadful, first week here for the freshers and first victim reports sex attack.

Kier Starmer Q.C. is on record as saying 90% of sex attacks go unreported.


www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2177524/Director-Public-Prosecutions-Keir-Starmer-Nine-rapes-unreported.html

Manchester Students Union, along with S.U. around the Country try their best to protect "Fresher's", but this is Manchester, a lack of enforcement means it is a Green Light to perverts. 


http://manchesterstudentsunion.com/safetaxi


www.leedsbeckett.ac.uk/studenthub/taxis.htm

www.su.nottingham.ac.uk/news/article/6001/safe-lift-home-after-a-night-out1/

www.ubuonline.co.uk/advice-and-welfare/advice-a-z/taxis.php

www.liverpoolsu.com/articles/safe-taxi

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Courts in Berlin and Hamburg upheld bans on online transportation service Uber on Friday, saying the company did not comply with German laws on the carriage of passengers.

U.S. start-up Uber had appealed against the bans in Germany, the latest front in its global battle to win regulatory approval in the face of stiff opposition from taxi services under threat from Uber's business model.

Uber said it had not yet decided whether to appeal against Friday's rulings by administrative courts in Berlin and Hamburg, which said Uber's drivers lacked the commercial licences to charge passengers for rides.

"Uber is reviewing the court documents in detail before commenting on today's decision but will continue to comply with German law," said a spokesman for Uber, which was recently valued at $18 billion (11.03 billion pounds).

He declined to say whether Uber would continue to operate services in the two cities pending any appeal.
Uber has been shadowed by skirmishes with taxi operators and local authorities in many cities where it operates, starting in its home base of San Francisco. It is active in 43 countries and has pulled out of only one city: Vancouver, Canada.

The Berlin and Hamburg rulings go against a previous reprieve given to Uber by a Frankfurt court, which ruled last week there were no grounds for a temporary injunction against its services.

The disparate decisions underline ambivalence in Germany about how to deal with challenges from U.S. technology firms ranging from Google to Amazon to Uber.

The German Economy Ministry said last week the country needed to make room for new, digital business models alongside existing businesses, and called for a hard look at laws governing transport and competition.
The Berlin court said on Friday there was no way of telling whether private drivers using the UberPop mobile phone app, which connects them to potential passengers, were fit to take on the special responsibility of carrying passengers.

It said the Uber Black service, which allows users to summon limousines using an app, did not meet the legal requirement for taxis to return to their service centre and so fell between regulations for taxi and rental car services.

"The ban serves to protect the existence of taxi services, their ability to function, in which there is an important public interest," it said in a statement.

The Hamburg court rejected Uber's arguments that the ban violated Uber's professional freedom or European freedom to offer services.

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/german-courts-uphold-ban-uber-ride-share-175503073--finance.html#TBNzAhA

The newly-launched GLiiDE is an all-electric taxi service in London that will be ran soley on Tesla cars in a move which could undercut the UK capital’s black cab service by as much as 50 percent.

GLiiDE will base its sustainable chuaffer offering around a smartphone app and corporate portal that incorporates booking, tracking and payment.

The service is emissions-free and thus escapes Central London’s congestion charges, and offers customers the chance to ride in the Tesla Model S, one of the most highly-commended electric cars to be produced to date.

The company claims to be presenting one of the safest cars on the road with fixed taxi prices and no hidden extras.

For now the service is invitational only as it looks to iron out any issues before full rollout.

London is not actually the first UK destination to trial such a service, for nearby Kent has seen a similar idea launch while tests on the Model S are also underway in the United States and Norway, arguably the green capital of Europe.

This news follows the announcement from Google that it is to pilot its driverless cars in selected cities across the UK, applications for which are being taken.

Combined with Tesla’s intention to enter the lucrative London taxi arena, the future of UK transport could be taking a green and automated turn. 

http://www.businessrevieweurope.eu/technology/165/GLiiDE-Tesla-Taxi-Service-Launches-in-London-as-Rival-to-Traditional-Black-Cabs

HOLLYWOOD.

Rumer Willis, the daughter of Bruce Willis and Demi Moore, had to be rushed to hospital on Monday morning (22.09.14) after the taxi she was in crashed.

Rumer Willis was rushed to hospital after a car crash.
The 26-year-old actress - who is the daughter of Bruce Willis and Demi Moore - was travelling in a taxi when it crashed near her home in Hollywood early Monday morning (22.09.14).

She described the crash as ''terrible'', saying: ''I had the accident sitting in the back of an uber taxi. My back is really hurting. I went to my doctor and they looked at everything. They had to really check me out.''

The 'Diary of Preston Plummer' star also tweeted about the incident, writing: ''I am a huge fan of @uberx but after getting in a car accident in the back of an uberx and still have to pay for the ride I am very disappointed.''

Rumer is reportedly in total shock of the situation and lack of sincerity shown by taxi firm, uberx.

The 'There's Always Woodstock' actress is no doubt hoping to get better by next month so she can travel to London to join Tyler Shields around his Provocateur art show at the Imitate Modern Gallery.


http://www.contactmusic.com/story/rumer-willis-rushed-to-hospital_4384939
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WALES.

A taxi firm in Dolgellau has claimed hikes in licence fees could force them out of business.

Gwynedd council has increased the price by 20%, sending the annual price from £102.50 to £122.77.

Cader Cabs said the rise in fees on top of increased fuel, tyre and MOT costs meant they were being squeezed.

But the council said fees have been so low for a number of years it has made a loss and it was bringing fees into line with other authorities.

However, Paddy Redgrift, who has run his own taxi firm for 14 years, said there was "more taking than giving" from the council.

"It's unfair, the buses get subsidies but nothing for taxi drivers," he added.

"The fees will close us down and then there will be no taxis here."

Gwynedd council's head of regulatory services Aled Davies said: "As a result of the hugely challenging financial situation facing the council, it has become impossible to maintain this shortfall any longer without either increasing licensing fees or passing on the cost to the Gwynedd tax payer.

"This increase equates to an increase of less than one pound per week for a driver who owns and operates one taxi and, following this increase, it is expected that in future years price changes will only need to reflect changes in the cost of providing the service."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-north-west-wales-29358302

GLASGOW

Taxi driver Charles Jackson jailed for storing drugs

A taxi driver who was caught storing cocaine and a mixing agent has been jailed for three years and four months.

Charles Jackson, 53, was caught with cocaine and benzocaine - with a combined value of £51,840 - at his home in Glasgow's Drumchapel area in May.

He admitted being concerned in the supply of drugs.

The High Court in Edinburgh heard he agreed to store the drugs after his taxi had to be taken off the road and he fell into debt to his dealers.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-29361046?
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NEWCASTLE

Stalking the streets, businessman Mohammed Malik is caught on CCTV picking up a drunk 20-year-old who thought he was a taxi driver.

The victim got into Malik's car near The Gate complex, on Newgate Street, and asked to be taken the short distance to the place in the city centre where she was staying with friends.
Instead Malik drove her to the West End of Newcastle, parked up in a secluded spot and subjected the young woman to a horrific sex attack.

He was snared after three men spotted the woman getting into the car and texted the registration number to police.
Now the 30-year-old of Arthur's Hill, Newcastle, is facing years in prison after a jury at Newcastle Crown Court convicted him of kidnap and sexual assault.

Prosecutor Julian Smith said the 20-year-old victim was a visitor to the city and had been out celebrating a birthday with friends in March when she started looking for a taxi around 4am.

Mr Smith said: 'The complainant found herself drunk and alone, looking for a taxi.

'Unfortunately for her, the car she got into, believing it to be a taxi, was nothing of the sort. She found herself in the defendant's car, who drove her to a secluded area to the west of the city, away from the city centre.

'He took her away under false pretences, he would not let her leave and he then took the opportunity to seriously sexually assault her.'
The court heard the young woman and her friends had been to a number of bars and ended up in a takeaway near The Gate, at which point the 20-year-old left and went looking for a cab.

She was unsuccessful in trying to hail a taxi outside Sinners bar and so started walking towards the Haymarket, up Newgate Street.

Mr Smith said: 'At that point the defendant's car comes into view driving down the road away from the Haymarket and it stops in the lay-by taxi rank outside Debenhams. She approaches him and speaks to him then gets in the car.'

Malik, who manages a number of properties, including a takeaway, drove off with the woman in his VW Golf estate. Three men passing by saw the woman getting into the car, which they noticed was not a taxi.

They made a note of the registration number and texted it to police.

Malik then drove up Elswick Road with the kidnapped woman, parking up in a secluded spot on Bentinck Road, Elswick.

Despite her screams of protest, he pulled her into the back seat by her arms and legs and subjected her to a sexual assault.

Mr Smith said: 'He would have known she was lost because she told him she was not from round here.

'It lasted some time and eventually, despite having no clue where she was, she told him he made her sick and had the courage to leave the car. She met two drunken good Samaritans who stayed with her.'

Malik then reappeared in his car, acting as if nothing had happened and asking if she was going to get back in. She refused and the passers-by flagged down a genuine taxi to take her back to her friends.

Police were called and when the woman was examined they found bruising to her arms and legs.

Malik was arrested later the same day as a result of his number plate having been sent to the police.

His DNA was also recovered from the victim's clothing. Malik, who had denied kidnap and sexual assault, will be sentenced next month. He was remanded in custody and faces a significant jail term.

Judge John Milford told him: 'Doubtless you have been warned as to the sort of sentence you are likely to receive in terms of years.'

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2769404/Pictured-Fake-taxi-driver-prowling-streets-moments-kidnapping-sexually-assaulting-young-reveller.html
-------------------------------------------------------
Mercedes press Statement.

KPM-UK Taxis PLC Statement

Mercedes-Benz Vans has removed the Taxi franchise from KPM-UK Taxis PLC, based in East London.

We are working hard to ensure our customers are supported during this time and all existing workshop bookings and customer vehicle deliveries are being distributed among local Mercedes-Benz Commercial Vehicle Dealerships.

We are contacting all customers affected by the removal of the franchise from KPM-UK Taxis PLC.

If customers are concerned, they can contact Mercedes-Benz customer service via cs.uk@cac.mercedes-benz.
com or call 00800 9777 7777 or 0207 660 9993.

Ends
----------------------------------------------
ROTHSCHILD...MAAXI.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-09-25/rothschild-makes-comeback-with-london-cab-app-to-rival-uber-1-.html

Vulnerable children at risk from taxi licensing reforms

LGA press release 25 September 2014

Plans to relax taxi laws could put children at greater risk of sexual exploitation, councils are warning.

Currently, anyone using a minicab can travel safe in the knowledge that the only person legally allowed to drive the car will have been through a rigorous council vetting process, including criminal records and medical history checks.

New government proposals within the Deregulation Bill, set to return to the House of Lords next month, will mean minicab licence holders will be able to allow other people to drive their vehicle when they are off-duty without any of those checks being carried out.

The Local Government Association, which represents more than 370 councils in England and Wales, is warning that this will make it easier for criminal gangs to exploit the system and use licensed vehicles to groom, rape and traffic children.

Independent reports into child sexual exploitation in both Rotherham and Rochdale found abusers used their minicabs to target vulnerable children, highlighting the need to ensure controls in this area remain as tight as possible.

Under the new proposals, someone already with a criminal background - such as for alleged sexual assaults, rapes and organised crime - could legally drive a branded vehicle, meaning they could use it to pick up passengers and target vulnerable children.

Cllr Ann Lucas OBE, Chair of the LGA's Safer and Stronger Communities Board, said:

"Recent child sex abuse cases in Rotherham and Rochdale are a stark reminder of the position of trust that people put in taxi drivers and the vulnerability of some passengers.

"There is a determination across local government that nothing like this can be allowed to happen again. That is why we remain deeply concerned about the Government's plan to relax taxi licensing laws which we believe will make it easier for criminal gangs to target vulnerable children for sexual exploitation.

"Anyone getting into a taxi or private hire vehicle should be assured that the only person allowed to drive the car has had their background thoroughly checked and vetted. The consequences for someone entering a branded vehicle where the driver has not been properly licensed and vetted by the council can be devastating. We should not be increasing the chances of that happening.

"Keeping children safe is our top priority and a responsibility councils take extremely seriously. It is imperative that the Government withdraws these plans so councils can continue to fully check everyone getting behind the wheel of a taxi or private hire vehicle to ensure vulnerable children are kept as safe as possible."

Ministers suggest the fact the taxi licensing rules already apply in London means they can be rolled-out nationwide without the public being put at risk.

However, the Metropolitan Police estimate there are more than 1,000 sexual assaults each year involving taxi drivers in London alone.

Cllr Lucas added: "Unlicensed taxis and touting have been endemic in the capital, providing an ideal cover for dangerous sexual predators. Instead of justifying an extension to these licensing rules, the state of the system in London actually provides strong evidence as to exactly why they cannot be rolled out nationwide."

NOTES TO EDITORS

1. The Government has inserted new clauses into the Deregulation Bill that would permit anyone to drive a licensed vehicle. This would mean drivers who have not been through this rigorous council vetting process could use the vehicle. The Bill returns to the House of Lords Committee Stage on October 21

2. The independent inquiry into child sexual exploitation in Rotherham between 1997 and 2013 said that "one of the common threads running through CSE across England has been the prominent role of taxi drivers in being directly linked to children who were abused" 

3. Two of the men convicted of running a grooming gang in Rochdale were taxi drivers. An independent review into child sexual exploitation in the town said licensing teams need to understand how they can "contribute to the safeguarding agenda". It recommended tougher regulation by calling for "clarity on a national level" as to how local authorities can "suspend and/or revoke licences for taxi drivers…thereby enabling more robust disruption tactics for CSE"

4. Personal safety charity the Suzy Lamplugh Trust, Police and Crime Commissioners, the National Private Hire Association and the National Taxi Association are also opposing the Government's plans.

5. Anyone looking to operate as a private hire vehicle operator must obtain a vehicle and driver licence from their local council. Driver licences last for three years and vehicle licences for up to one year.

6. Councils can refuse licences if they feel the applicant is not a ‘fit and proper person', if they fail to accept the conditions set to the licence or if the vehicle is deemed not roadworthy and is not covered by adequate insurance. Applicants will also be checked for previous criminal convictions, cautions or motoring offences and whether they have ever had a driving or taxi licence refused, suspended or revoked. A medical certificate is also needed from the applicant's doctor while some councils require them to take a test of their knowledge of the local area.

ENDS

Greg Burns, Senior Media Relations Officer
Local Government Association
Phone: 020 7664 3184 Email: greg.burns@local.gov.uk
Media office (for out of hours contact): 020 7664 3333
Local Government House, Smith Square, London SW1P 3HZ.

Comment;

It would appear its Taxi driver's not Private Hire Driver's who are behind the rise in Child Sexual Exploitation cases.

Next they will be saying its mostly Catholics who are doing it. 

www.local.gov.uk 

Follow the LGA press office on 

www.twitter.com/LGANews

London cab drivers brought parts of the capital to a standstill today as they protested against Transport for London's transport policies.

The drivers of black cabs blocked roads in central London around Trafalgar Square, Parliament Square and Whitehall.

The blockade caused the partial closure of the Regent Street, Pall Mall and the Strand close by, causing travel chaos for drivers and bus passengers.

Cabbies took TFL to task over taxi regulation, rickshaws and a proposed "cycle crossrail" scheme and follows a previous high profile protest against taxi app Uber in June.

It's thought up to 4,000 taxis were involved in the protest organised by the London Taxi Drivers Association.

http://www.cityam.com/1411574730/taxi-protest-londond-black-cab-drivers-pictures?

Barring private cabs from London's bus lanes is legal - EU court adviser

Wed Sep 24, 2014 6:20pm IST

* Court decision expected in three to six months

By Julia Fioretti

BRUSSELS, Sept 24 (Reuters) - Allowing London's trademark black cabs to use bus lanes while excluding other minicab companies does not constitute illegal state aid, an adviser to the highest European Union court found on Wednesday.

The opinion is the latest stage in a longstanding dispute between the British capital's transport authority and Eventech, which owns a minicab fleet used by the cab firm Addison Lee.

An advocate general, who advises the European court in Luxembourg, found that Transport for London's (TfL) policy of only allowing black cabs to use the city's bus lanes did not constitute an unlawful transfer of public resources -- essentially a subsidy -- to registered taxis.

"Where state authorities make a bus lane on a public road available to black cabs but not to PHVs (private hire vehicles) during the hours of operation of that bus lane, that does not involve a transfer of 'state resources', provided that all comparable undertakings are granted access on equal terms," Advocate General Nils Wahl said in his opinion.

Opinions from advocates general are respected by the court in a majority of cases.

The dispute comes at a time when alternative taxi providers, such as the car-sharing service Uber, have clashed with traditional cabs concerned about what they call unfair competition. The conflict has led to Europe-wide taxi strikes and temporary bans on Uber in Germany.

Eventech had argued that TfL's bus lane policy was an infringement of the freedom to provide services and also amounted to illegal state aid to the benefit of black cabs.

But Wahl rejected those claims, saying that under EU state aid rules it was not necessary for member states to demand payment for access to public infrastructure, such as bus lanes.

"If...state aid rules were interpreted as generally requiring member states to charge for access to public infrastructure or state-controlled resources, this might deter states from creating or opening up areas to which there has previously been no, or only limited access," Wahl said.

Eventech had also argued that exempting black cabs from paying fines for using the bus lanes amounted to an illegal transfer of public money to their benefit, a claim again rejected by Wahl.

The dispute began in 2010 when two of Addison Lee's drivers were fined for driving their cars along a bus lane in central London. Eventech challenged the fines but lost before the High Court, leading to its appeal to the EU's top court. (Editing by Dominic Evans)

What comes first. The Chicken or the Egg.

Two days ago Addisson Lee invite bids for the Company of around £800 million pounds.

That is a 160% profit on the £300 mill they paid for it.

Today internet chatter is that the European ruling on the Bus Lanes is due out Today., the question, wether Hackney Carriages are recieving a benefit, equal to state aid, in being allowed in Bus Lanes whilst our competitors are not.

Is it all a coincidenvce, or, is there a 'Machevalian' hand behind this. ?

http://www.theguardian.com/business/2014/sep/22/minicab-firm-addison-lee-auction-carlyle-group

http://www.prodrivermags.com/news/290-addison-lee-bus-lane-battle-heads-for-european-ruling 

Gedling, arrest in 20 year old Murder.

POLICE have arrested two men on suspicion of murdering a 26-year-old taxi driver nearly 20 years ago.

Ethsham Ghafoor was shot dead in an ‘execution-style’ murder while sitting inside his taxi in the car park of a nursery in Lambley Lane, Gedling, on November 22, 1994.

The men, aged 42 and 43, will be questioned in connection with the inquiry throughout the day.

Mr Ghafoor, known to his friends and family as Shami, was a popular man who lived in Sherwood. More than 1,000 mourners turned out for his funeral at the Islamic Centre, in Curzon Street.

http://www.nottinghampost.com/men-arrested-suspicion-murdering-taxi-driver-20/story-22970293-detail/story.html?

INVERNESS, Need to consult.

Highland Council's proposed taxi fare rises thrown out

Rises in taxi fares proposed by Highland Council have been thrown out by the deputy traffic commissioner for Scotland.

Richard McFarlane said the local authority had failed to consult on the trade on the increases.

He said the fare scales will have to be altered to those fixed in January 2013.

A total of 160 taxi drivers backed an appeal to the commissioner that sought increases higher than those proposed.

Highland Council had proposed raising some tariffs by 30p and a £6.50 supplementary booking charge by £1.

However, taxi operators said higher increases were needed to cover fuel and other costs.

In a written decision, Mr McFarlane said the local authority had not held the required consultation.

He said: "The focus has undoubtedly been on the Inverness operators."

The deputy commissioner said councillors had not had "sufficient information" to properly review the scales for all the different rural communities in the Highlands.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-29331302

Central London is set to suffer severe traffic disruption as thousands of cabbies prepare to protest around Trafalgar and Parliament Square.

Taxi drivers will protest Transport for London's (TfL) taxi policies by driving through central London at a snail's pace at 2pm tomorrow.

The London Taxi Drivers Association (LTDA) said:

"TFL’s inability to deal with the growing threat to Londoners safety of illegal minicab touting, unlicensed operators and electric Rickshaws are the main grievances of the cabbies although the proposed Cycle Crossrail (Barmy Boris’s Barking Mad Bike Scheme) is now firmly in their sights."

Leon Daniels, TfL's managing director for surface transport, responded this afternoon in a press release:

It is regrettable that a number of taxi drivers – whose job it is to help keep this city moving – plan to cause unnecessary disruption to other road users.

The taxi trade has several forums with TfL and the Mayor.  We urge them to communicate directly with us on the specific issues they wish to discuss.

TfL says bus routes will also be affected by the protest, with cyclists being urged to take extra care navigating the swathes of black cabs on the roads. The tube is touted as the best option for getting about town in the afternoon.

Back in June large parts of London were brought to a standstill as  London's black cabs staged a mass protest against taxi app service Uber.

The LTDA argued Uber is not compliant with laws regarding taximeters. TfL has held the position that Uber's app does not constitute a taximeter, which can only be used by black cabs.

http://www.cityam.com/1411486976/taxi-protest-central-london-faces-severe-disruption-tomorrow-cabbies-lash-out-against-tfl?
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London’s cabbies demonstrate over Mayor’s failure to deliver
Unite’s London cab section will today (Wednesday 24 September) take part in a drive in demonstration at Trafalgar Square over London Mayor Boris Johnson’s failure to protect the iconic black cab from unregulated competition where many have described him as a ‘complete disaster for London taxi trade’.

London’s taxi drivers, many of them members of the UK’s largest union Unite, are now saying enough is enough. They are demanding Boris should go now so his successor can get on with the job of actually running London for Londoners.

Under Boris Johnson’s Transport for London (TfL) taxi drivers have suffered a regulatory authority that has outsourced many of its responsibilities to private agencies with the net result, being a deep fall in service levels and ever increasing costs to the trade. The Mayor’s policy of licence and forget satellite offices, rather than properly regulated taxi ranks, has seen the trade lose out on work that should have been available to London’s taxi drivers.

Peter Kavanagh, Unite London and Eastern regional secretary said: “Boris Johnson may have attempted to play the populist card with London cab drivers at election time, but he has failed to deliver anything to a trade that is widely regarded as the world’s finest. His time as Mayor has been a complete disaster for the London taxi trade.

“From failing to tackle the increasingly hazardous rickshaw brigade to shrugging his shoulders and allowing the Uber app, which doesn’t take bookings or even pay tax in this country, to be licensed as a private hire operator has showed his true colours.

“Confusion over emissions policy, congestion and pollution increasing with his scrapping of the Western Zone, privatisation and outsourcing of the regulatory functions within TfL are all a slap in the face for taxi drivers and their customers.

“Maybe it’s time for ‘two jobs Johnson’ to spend more time with his future potential constituents in Uxbridge, explaining his plans for decimating tens of thousands of jobs at Heathrow in place of one of his many fantasies – Boris Island.

“We need a Mayor that understands the need for an integrated, fully funded transport policy and who believes in quality, investment and regulation. We need a Mayor who understands that running a city like London is a full time job.”

http://cabtradenews.wordpress.com/2014/09/24/london-taxi-drivers-demonstration-24th-september-2014/
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Harrogate Borough Council is warning taxi drivers only to pick up legal fares or face the consequences of a significant fine – a clear message to drivers who may be tempted to act outside the law.

The warning comes after a private hire driver was recently convicted of plying for hire without a licence after accepting an unbooked fare on King’s Road in Harrogate in the early hours of the morning. The driver, whose actions were witnessed by an Enforcement Officer, was prosecuted and fined £380, and ordered to pay £328.50 in costs and a surcharge of £38 (totalling £746.50).

It is illegal for private hire drivers to ply for hire, tout for business, or accept passengers who have not pre-booked their journey, as the driver may not be insured. All bookings for private hire vehicles (which can be identified by red door plates) must be made through a licenced operator. Only hackney carriages (with blue door plates and roof signs) are able to pick up fares from the street and taxi ranks.

Hackney carriage drivers are also warned that the town is monitored by Enforcement Officers and they must not loiter touting for business in popular locations.

Councillor John Ennis, Harrogate Borough Council’s Licensing Committee Chairman said: We have received a growing number of complaints from licenced drivers that their pre-booked jobs were being taken by drivers who were picking up customers illegally, resulting in lost time and income. Harrogate Borough Council takes this matter very seriously and we hope that the recent conviction sends out a message to drivers, who may act outside the law.

All taxi drivers must ensure they are aware of the rules and regulations which they must abide by. The vast majority of taxi drivers operate within the law, but the council will continue to monitor and will take action against any private hire driver who picks up unbooked fares or any driver who does not comply with legal requirements.

Passengers should also be aware that illegal pick-ups can put themselves at risk by invalidating the vehicle’s insurance.

http://www.harrogate-news.co.uk/2014/09/23/harrogate-taxi-driver-receives-heavy-fine-accepting-unbooked-fare/?
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Unconfirmed reports that the European Court opinion on Bus lanes is due today.

Addison Lee’s legal battle to win the rights to use bus lanes alongside black taxis could be decided in the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg after the British Court of Appeal asked for a ruling on European anti-competition law.

 The European court could rule that black cabs are effectively receiving illegal state aid. If it agrees that “making a bus lane on a public road available to black cabs but not minicabs, during the hours of operation of that bus lane, involves the use of ‘State resources’ of Article 107 (1) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union”. 

This is the section of the European Treaty originally intended to stop member nations from illegally supporting their major industries to give them advantages over other nations. It was used to force Royal Bank of Scotland to sell hundreds of branches as a condition of its state bail-out during the financial crisis. 

Addison Lee, through its subsidiary Eventech, has been fighting with Transport for London (TfL) for several years to win equal rights to black cabs. In April the battle reached the Court of Appeal with a ruling now awaited. Documents been officially released which revealed the court wanted a European decision on state aid. 

A spokesman for Addison Lee said: “We are pleased that the matter has been referred to the European Courts as we believe that the current legislation is a breach of the EU and UK law. You can’t discriminate between two types of taxis and we are pleased to have the opportunity to continue the fight against this injustice.” A TfL spokesman said: “In the original judicial review proceedings, we explained to the court that taxis are allowed to drive in bus lanes because they can ply for hire, whereas minicabs cannot. It would be more difficult to hail a taxi, especially on a busy road, if the vehicle concerned was not near to the kerb.” Mr Justice Burton agreed.

 “The Court of Appeal has referred to the European Court of Justice the issue of whether or not TfL’s policy, which allows taxis but not private hire vehicles to drive in bus lanes, amounts to State aid. 

Once the European Court has given its judgment on this aspect, the case will be referred back to the Court of Appeal for a decision on the wider appeal. Pending that outcome, we continue to maintain our policy on access to bus lanes and to contest the appeal.”
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Labour could stop controversial cab-on-demand app Uber from operating in Britain over concerns about its tax arrangements.

Shadow transport secretary Mary Creagh warned that Labour would not tolerate "tax avoidance on a large scale", describing Uber's tax arrangements, being based offshore, as "interesting".

She also seized on the fact that drivers using Uber are classed as self-employed to justify her concerns, calling on the cab app firm to "do more to demonstrate that its drivers are paying taxes".
Uber, which is operated by a Dutch entity, has drawn anger from Britain's taxi drivers, who drove London to a standstill in June protest at its presence in the marketplace.

The cab app has also been banned in some major cities around the world, with a German court overturning a nation-wide ban last week.

London mayor Boris Johnson has previously said it would be "very difficult" to ban Uber, with any attempt risking a judicial review.

Business groups hit out at Creagh, who made her comments at a Labour Conference fringe meeting in Manchester on transport organised by the New Statesman on Monday morning, accusing her of"demonising" Uber drivers.

A spokesperson for the Institute for Directors said: "As new technology and innovation continues to change the way we go about our lives, more and more people will be able to take ownership of their labour and get a foothold in the economy.

"It's exactly this kind of new economy that Uber represents, and politicians should be careful not to demonise Uber drivers, who are effectively self-employed and entrepreneurial.

"We should be encouraging the new economy, and all the social benefits it brings, not peddling scare stories about the tax affairs of a new generation of self-employed drivers."

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Uber said the firm "complies with all applicable tax laws, and pays taxes in all jurisdictions, such as corporate tax, income tax, payroll tax, sales and use tax, and VAT."

Uber added that its drivers are "independent businessmen that use the platform" and are not employed by the firm.

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2014/09/22/uber-cab-london-labour_n_5860272.html?utm_hp_ref=tw
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Uber is squeezing every last drop out of its drivers’ pay, and it’s starting with its newest recruits.

Drivers who sign up for UberX in San Francisco on or after September 2 will fork over an unprecedented 25 percent of their earnings to Uber, said spokeswoman Eva Behrend.

That’s the highest-ever UberX commission, which has always been 20 percent or less. And it’s just the latest way that Uber is shaving off more and more of drivers’ meager earnings.

This summer, Uber rolled out “limited time only” steep fare drops in at least 25 cities, which riders loved. But drivers worried that the discounts wouldn’t end because Uber wouldn’t want to raise prices on its riders.

Their worries proved right. So far, Uber has declared summer discounts of varying amounts are “here to stay” in San Francisco (15 percent), Seattle (20 percent), Boston (15 percent), Washington D.C. (15 percent), New Jersey (10 percent), and Los Angeles (20 percent), among others — and more will likely follow. In San Francisco and Seattle, the cut is even sharper: Uber heavily subsidized the discounts at the beginning of the summer, but those ended abruptly a few weeks ago.

Other cuts have followed: As of last month, drivers also have to pay $10 a week to use the iPhone 4S they used to get for free, and new drivers report having to pay a $100 phone deposit. (Drivers can avoid the weekly fee by using their own phone and data plans.) And Uber’s $1-a-ride reimbursement to drivers ended August 31.

Those cuts add up. Let’s throw some rough math at a $10 San Francisco UberX fare: That $10 ride used to cost $11 for the rider (fare + $1 Safe Rides Fee) and the driver took home $9 (80 percent of fare + $1 reimbursement). Over the summer, that ride cost $8.50 for riders (25 percent summer discount + $1 Safe Rides Fee) and drivers were paid the same $9 through a subsidy.


But as of this month, that $9 in driver pay would be $6.80 (80 percent of new “here to stay” 15 percent off fare, with no $1 subsidy). Riders paid a bit more — $9.50 — because the discount shifted from 25 percent to 15 percent.

That’s a 25 percent pay drop for drivers. The $1-a-ride loss becomes a $6,240 yearly loss if drivers do a modest three rides an hour and work 40 hours a week — more if they work longer or give more rides.

Uber has also increased commissions on its premium UberBLACK service, but the low-cost UberX is where the company experiments most with huge fare drops — and where drivers feel the crunch. Lyft, which went months without taking commission so its drivers could still make good wages during fare cuts, recently reinstated 20 percent commissions. But drivers can earn back all of their commission by working 50 hours a week — a bid at increasing driver loyalty.

Uber Now Taking Its Biggest UberX Commission Ever -- 25 Percent

http://www.forbes.com/sites/ellenhuet/2014/09/22/uber-now-taking-its-biggest-uberx-commission-ever-25-percent/
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ATHENS, Greece (AP) -- Police have busted a phony VIP taxi service in Greece that was using the bank accounts of homeless people to collect deposits from cab drivers.

Police spokesman Christos Parthenis said Monday that seven people have been arrested.
They are accused of taking more than 110,000 euros ($141,300) in deposits from drivers who were promised a customer list that would include officials from the European Commission and the World Health Organization.

Parthenis said a 66-year-old man and 39-year-old woman, both Greek, were accused of paying panhandlers and homeless people in Athens to use their bank accounts to collect the deposits.
Taxi drivers, approached around the country, typically paid a 1,500 euro ($1,925) deposit to join the service, which promised to pay them 300 ($385) a day for at least a month.

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/greece-homeless-used-vip-taxi-161556810.html#qqfNK9s

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TAXI drivers in Denbighshire are to be told to smarten up or risk being given penalty points.

Under a new dress code being suggested licensed drivers must not wear dirty clothes or footwear, shorts above the knee, hoodies, football shirts or items with logos which could be considered offensive.

Beachwear will not be allowed and women must not wear low-cut tops or, for personal safety reasons, mini-skirts.

A report to be considered by members next week on Wednesday, September 24 says: “A revised dress code has for some time been discussed due to safety concerns and the impression left with visitors and residents to the county when inappropriate clothing is worn.

“A balance must be found between drivers presenting a good image for the county without impacting on an individual’s freedom to wear clothes that are not prescriptive.”

Though the code will not be a condition of the drivers’ licences breaches will result in penalty points under the council’s regulatory scheme.

http://www.rhyljournal.co.uk/news/138397/denbighshire-taxi-drivers-told-to-smarten-up-or-face-penalty-points.aspx

Shares suspended in rival black cab maker Eco City - Business News - Business - London Evening Standard

The company — founded by ex-cabbie Peter DaCosta — broke Manganese’s monopoly by converting Mercedes people carriers into cabs approved by the Public Carriage Office.

But now its future looks bleak after Eco City admitted its subsidiary One80, which owns the intellectual property to the crucial steering technology that adapts the Vitos to comply with London taxis’ strict turning circle rules, looks set to collapse into administration.

With no more Vitos at present being built after a lack of sales led to a pile-up of stock, Eco City admitted One80 cannot survive because of a “lack of production revenues” as well as an impending legal case against its 76.6% subsidiary by one of its licence holders.

“The group continues to experience challenging trading conditions requiring Eco City Vehicles to seek additional funding,” the firm said.

It added it was in talks with a potential backer but warned those negotiations “may or may not lead to additional funds”.

That uncertainty saw Eco City suspend its shares — which have plummeted by more than 80% in 2014 — at 0.3p “pending further evaluation of its position and future structure”.

Eco City only has one person left on the firm’s executive team, finance director Jonathan Moritz, who did not return telephone calls today.

In August, Eco City blamed San Francisco cab-booking app, Uber, for slaying London’s iconic taxis trade. It said that its collapse in revenues — which were down by a third in the six months of July — were “mainly due to the emergence of Uber”. But the Vito is also facing challenges from new taxis from Metrocab, which is making an electric cab, and Nissan.

Eco City’s struggles follow Maganese Bronze’s collapse in 2012, just two months after the Spice Girls sang and danced on top of five of its cabs in the closing ceremony of the Olympic Games. The firm was later bought by China’s Geely, for £11 million, and restarted production.

http://www.standard.co.uk/business/business-news/shares-suspended-in-rival-black-cab-maker-eco-city-9743506.html

Uber hits road block in France as taxi lobby gains upper hand

A new law in France includes several provisions, but one is especially damaging to Uber: no sharing location via GPS.

Uber's car service has once again hit a snag in Europe. This time, France that has taken the wheels off its ride.

On Thursday, France's National Assembly voted in favor of the country's politically influential taxi lobby by signing into law a bill that will make it exceedingly difficult for ride-sharing services like Uber, AlloCab and SnapCar to continue operating in the country. While the bill includes restrictions on both taxis and car services, called VTC (voitures de tourisme avec chauffeur) in France, the most impactful regulation in the law prevents VTC services from using GPS systems to alert users to the location of nearby cars via smartphone.

Uber, along with competing ride-sharing services, relies on GPS technology to show riders the location of drivers -- letting riders hail the nearest car with their smartphone. It also helps determine the wait time for a driver to pick up riders. Without GPS, Uber is essentially unable to provide its service -- at least in the way it's been developed so far -- and could be dead in the water in France.

http://www.cnet.com/news/uber-hits-road-block-in-france-as-taxi-lobby-gains-upper-hand/#ftag=CAD590a51e

Visa To Stop Processing Credit Cards, Over Smart Phone Apps From End Of September: Chip And Pin Only.

HailO forced to go Chip and Pin due to UBER frauds.

From HailO Eire.

This is a bit of a disaster.

I assume Cab:app aren't being similarly sanctioned by Visa?

Fast Pay is Going - but 'Pay-with-Hailo' is coming shortly - and Chip and Pin

Due to legal action from VISA and other credit card companies, we unfortunately have to retire the fast-pay feature of the app at the end of August. Fast Pay will continue to work on the brand new driver app until the 27th of August.

VISA have deemed these street-card transactions as high-risk and are no longer willing to offer a processing service using this method.

We understand this was a hugely useful feature for many drivers - so we are delighted to announce a brand new innovative feature that we call 'Pay-with-Hailo'. We will be sending more information about Pay-with-Hailo next week but in summary:

Pay-with-Hailo will allow customers who wish to pay for a journey on their card to 'check-in' to a Hailo taxi and pay using the card on their Hailo account. This will be extremely useful for regular customers and new customers alike.

Drivers will pay zero commission on 'Pay-with-Hailo' jobs.

In addition to this, Hailo has secured a highly competitive rate for our drivers for chip-and-pin devices. We'll announce more details shortly on this but if you are interested in purchasing one - please register your interest here.

http://irishtaxi.org/forum/index.php?topic=27870.0

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from : www.taxileaks.blogspot.co.uk

Visa To Stop Processing Credit Cards, Over Smart Phone Apps From End Of September: Chip And Pin Only.

Taxi Leaks has received unconfirmed reports, that from the end of September, Hailo will no longer be processing passenger credit cards, over the phone through their app.

We have been told, if a driver wants to clear a CC using the Hailo app, then he has to get the passenger to sign up with their Card details and open an account with Hailo on the journey.

We've also been informed, this is not policy from Hailo but it is in fact Visa who are refusing to process payments made without chip and pin security.

It's been alleged that the growing amount of fraudulent transactions made by Uber drivers, is the main reason behind Visa's decision.

Currently, TfL refuse to deal with complaints against minicab drivers in the same way they deal with taxi drivers. Complaints made against PH drivers are sent directly to the Operator to deal with. 

Uber's terms and conditions state that they are not responsible in any respect for transactions made between passenger and driver and any complaint must be taken up with the driver.

Again more proof that TfL are incompetently unfit to be a licensing authority. 

Victims of Uber driver fraud have been left with no other alternative but to complain en masse to Visa and other card services. It is believed that othe card suppliers will follow this line.

We now wait for a press release from trade companies who currently allow credit card clearing over their smart phone apps.

More news as and when it comes in.

UBER USA.

What all the fuss about UBER. Safe as anything. ! ! !.

The bubble is , perhaps about to burst.

The drivers plan action next week.

http://www.driversnetwork.org/

Legislation Has Not Kept Up For Electronic Hiring Of Taxis And Private Hire Services GMB Drivers Tell London Assembly Transport Committee 

Fares for some operators are too low leading to a churn of drivers who cannot make ends meet so a minimum living fare for London needs to be part of new legislation GMB tells committee.

GMB Professional Driver’s Branch on 17th September submitted at presentation to the London Assembly Transport Committee which is investigating how taxi and private hire services help moving passengers around the capital, how they mesh with other forms of transport, and how they might change to provide a better service in the future. See notes to editors for copy of full GMB written presentation.

Some of the points Steve Garelick, Branch Secretary Professional Driver’s branch, will cover at the Committee hearing are as follows: “On technology legislation has not really kept up and as a result the law is unclear for hiring and provision of passenger transportation electronically. 

As things now stand it is possible to sign up as a driver without any real checks. This is not only dangerous it is disastrous. 

We believe that all legitimate London licensees should be provided with an annual licence logo for their website or app to not only endorse that they are legitimate but to help the public make an informed decision. 

We propose that all Operators are able to show clear proof of contributing to or paying appropriate UK taxes. 

On fares those of some operators are ridiculously low. This leads to a churn of drivers as many cannot make ends meet. A minimum living fare for London needs to be implemented and be part of legislation.”


http://www.gmb.org.uk/newsroom/update-taxi-and-private-hire-laws-for-public-safety

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FIFE.

Taxi operators in Fife have been warned of severe repercussions if they fail to keep their vehicles up to standard.

Members of Fife Council’s regulation and licensing committee say further random testing and the possibility of stripping licences could be pursued if taxis in the region are not maintained properly.

It follows the publication of two reports, one showing that 6% of taxis in the Kirkcaldy area failed initial mechanical tests, while another revealed 10 out of 14 taxis in Levenmouth and west Fife failed random inspections.

Meeting in Glenrothes this week, Councillor Bob Young, chairman of the committee, said he is concerned by the findings. 

“When I read the report I was really disappointed,” he said. “It is a significant number of failures and the type of them is also worrying. 

“I think that one vehicle had seven faults and when it was retested it failed again.

“When you look at the figures I know that it is nine vehicles out of 142 but it is the kind of failures that concern me.”

A major effort to improve vehicle standards in East Fife this year resulted in a substantial hike in retest costs — up to £100 from £26.
A strict retesting regime was also approved, in a bid to improve standards throughout the region.

Among the faults found on taxis in west Fife were an inoperable horn, poorly performing handbrakes and worn components. 

In Kirkcaldy, one vehicle had as many as nine faults, while issues included chipped windscreens, oil leaks and missing fire extinguishers.

It was agreed by members to allow the committee chairman, Mr Young, and vice-chairman, Councillor Tom Adams, to speak to operators in the Kirkcaldy area, instead of bringing them before the full committee.

Mr Adams said: “What do we do here? I think that retesting in north-east Fife had the desired effect.

“We need to get the message across but this is not north-east Fife, which has been bad. In Kirkcaldy things have normally been a lot better.”

http://www.thecourier.co.uk/news/local/fife/fife-s-taxi-operators-told-to-improve-standards-1.581565
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Warwick University’s Student’s Union has expressed its anger that students’ safety is being put at risk due to them being regularly refused taxi journeys. 

The union recently undertook a study following a series of reports that students were being refused taxi journeys - the practice of which is illegal.

Of the 492 students who responded to the survey, 59 per cent said they had been refused with half of them saying this had taken place in Leamington.

This often leaves them to walk home in the early hours of the morning.

Rob Ankcorn, the sabbatical officer leading the campaign, said: “These shocking results reveal that some taxis are regularly breaking the law. By refusing short journeys, taxis are putting young people in danger. 

“This is not just a problem for our students, but for young people in general. 

“While we appreciate that not all taxi companies are to be tarnished with the same brush, we are working closely with councils and local politicians to stamp out this unacceptable behaviour.”

Marianne Rolfe, the regulatory manager for Warwick District Council, has said the authority is extremely concerned about the results of the survey and does not condone the “unfair practices” described.

She said when such behaviour is reported to the council it is fully investigated and the appropriate action is taken.

She added: “We have created a Driver and Operator Forum where the representatives of the regulatory section, the police, taxi trade and the public are working together to improve standards. We’re working together to ensure that these kinds of practises do not take place.”


http://www.kenilworthweeklynews.co.uk/news/local-news/warwick-student-union-s-anger-at-taxi-drivers-who-refuse-journeys-to-students-1-6307332