Professional Driver November 2024

BIG EXPRESS BIG EXPRESS

Volkswagen ID.7 Pro S Match

Volkswagen ID.7 Pro S Match

DON’T MISS OUT – ENTER NOW! DON’T MISS OUT – ENTER NOW! See page 29 for details See page 29 for details

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR

Mark Bursa 07813 320044

markbursa@prodrivermags.com

COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR

Paul Webb 07807 133527 paulwebb@prodrivermags.com

CONTRIBUTORS

Gary Jacobs, Kevin Willis, Tim Barnes-Clay, Phil Rule, Kwabena Dennot Nyack, Dr Mike Galvin, Tim Scrafton

COMPANY ADDRESS

50 Beechcroft Manor, Oatlands, Weybridge, KT13 9NZ

WEBSITE

Martin Coombes PageHub Design

martin@pagehubdesign.co.uk

SUBSCRIPTIONS

Curwood CMS Ltd, The Barn, Abbey Mews, Robertsbridge, TN32 5AD 01580 883844

subs@prodrivermags.com

Registered in England No. 7086172

© 2024 All contents copyright of ProDriver Media Ltd

Parliamentary debate or debacle?

Mark Bursa

Does the private hire sector need more regulation? Undoubtedly. But more importantly, it needs the right regulation, and if that is to happen, those responsible for drawing up the legislation need to understand what they’re trying to achieve.

Judging by the standard of last month’s parliamentary debate into cross-border hiring, I wouldn’t hold my breath on that front.

If an experienced and diplomatic a figure as NPHTA’s David Lawrie should feel the need to call the debate “poorly researched and presented”, and containing many “misleading and incorrect” points, we are in trouble.

It's a shame to waste the opportunity to put the private hire sector at the top of the agenda for a couple of hours, though at least the debate has shown that the government needs to sharpen up its act here and build a proper understanding of the issues at stake.

The Deregulation Act is a sensible piece of legislation that allows operators to sub-contract jobs to other operators to avoid having loads of PHVs shuttling around empty half the time.

Part of that plan would be to allow local authorities to enforce those standards on all cars and drivers operating in their area, regardless of where they are registered.

Getting free of the shackles of “local” thinking is the key to making a better and safer system of licensing. The NR3 database needs to be rigorously applied, and there should be no loopholes that allow unsuitable individuals to become private hire drivers. Safeguarding must be paramount, and the mechanisms are already there to ensure that is the case.

If there was a true national standard –just as there is in bus, coach and truck licensing – the argument that an “outof-town” driver is somehow of a lower standard than one licensed in a “home” town would disappear.

PSV-licensed bus drivers who passed their tests in Wolverhampton or Manchester can drive a bus in any town. The same should apply to PHVs.

“

The crossborder debate has shown that the government needs to sharpen up its act here and build a proper understanding of the issues at stake ”

Now it is being conflated with the issue of out-of-area licensing, which has suddenly popped up on the agenda of politicians. ‘Why is Manchester full of Wolverhampton-licensed cars?” wails Manchester mayor Andy Burnham. “Something must be done!”

The reason is simple: Wolverhampton offers a better licensing service than Manchester. Those Wolves-plated cars are not drivers from the Black Country commuting to the north-west every day to steal jobs from local cabbies. No, they are Mancunian drivers frustrated at the 10-month wait to get a license issued locally.

Manchester could stop the practice immediately if it followed Wolverhampton County Council's example and invested heavily in systems and manpower in order to speed up the licencing process.

Alternatively, take Professor Button’s plan seriously and put all licensing through Wolverhampton, having agreed on a standard that keeps everybody happy.

We could call on the Government –and all other politicians with an interest in a safe and healthy taxi and private hire trade – to consult more widely with real industry experts. People who work within the trade and have its best interests at heart.

The fact that the ludicrous concept of the “ABBA principle” still has currency in these debates is deeply concerning. Regardless of basic minicab journeys, chauffeurs are also governed by private hire regulations, and there is absolutely no way that with modern B2B chauffeur working patterns – inter-city travel, airport runs, and so on – journeys can end in the same place they started.

Working “as directed” remains a major feature for many chauffeurs, and it is vital that the nuances of executive car services should be factored in to the debate, perhaps with a separate class of license for chauffeurs that includes some form of vocational training, as proposed by the Guild of Professional Chauffeurs and others.

This industry has the people and the mechanisms to make proper changes, done correctly. It’s up to us to make some noise, and get our view on to the Government’s agenda. Before somebody does something stupid. And on the face of it, that’s a genuine risk.

Transport giant ComfortDelGro acquires Addison Lee for £269m

Mark Bursa

Global transport giant ComfortDelgro has made a dramatic return to the London taxi market with the for £269.1 million acquisition of Addison Lee.

The deal includes ComCab – the black taxi firm that ComfortDelGro sold to Addison Lee in 2021. Addison Lee CEP Liam Griffin will stay with the business.

The deal has been carried out via ComfortDelGro’s City Fleet Networks subsidiary. The 7,500 drivers and 5,000 vehicles of the Addison Lee’s London-based private hire, taxi and courier network will join CityFleet Networks’ existing fleet of 1,800 private hire and black taxi vehicles elsewhere in the UK including Liverpool, the Wirral, Chester and Aberdeen.

Earlier this year CityFleet Networks also bought Cmac Group, which provides pre-planned and on-demand ground transportation to businesses, as well as private and ride-share transfers to airports, bus and train stations and ports.

Singapore-based ComfortDelGro also owns and operates Metroline buses and Westbus coaches in London, Adventure Travel buses and coaches in Wales, as well as the Megabus, Scottish Citylink and Irish Citylink inter-city coaches.

In a statement, ComfortDelGro said the acquisition “serves as a catalyst for ComfortDelGro’s expansion into an attractive premium mobility segment, strengthening its overall point-topoint proposition in the UK and globally”.

ComfortDelGro’s group

CEO Cheng Siak Kian said: “Addison Lee is an established leader in serving the differentiated premium segment in London. Beyond expanding our footprint in the UK, this acquisition will enable us to use Addison Lee’s expertise to deepen and scale our premium point-to-point capability globally.”

Liam Griffin said: “Over the past four years, ComfortDelGro has demonstrated its deep knowledge of the business, and a clear understanding of our customers’ and drivers’ needs. This, alongside the strength and heritage of the Addison Lee brand, has positioned us perfectly for further expansion into the premium segment.”

“ComfortDelGro is a perfect complementary fit for us. They share our philosophy, vision, and ambition for the Addison Lee brand and bring significant inter-

national industry expertise to the business.”

Liam Griffin led a consortium including Cheyne Capital that acquired the business from venture capitalist Carlyle Group in 2020. Carlyle had acquired Addison Lee from the Griffin family in 2013 for a reported £300m.

But Carlyle Group struggled with the business, and in early 2020 Addison Lee was rescued by a group of eight banks, which injected £45m into the company and refinanced £100m of the company’s £250m of debt. The deal removed Carlyle Group and reinstated Griffin as CEO.

Subsequently Addison Lee returned to profitability following the takeovers of ComCab in 2021 and Green Tomato Cars in 2023, and Griffin decided to put the business up for sale earlier this year.

Following the sale to ComfortDelGro, Griffin

said he would remain with Addison Lee along with the current key management, to drive the next phase of its growth.

ComfortDelGro Chairman Mark Greaves hinted that the Addison Lee brand could be used more widely in ComfortDelGro’s operations, saying: “This acquisition is in line with our strategy to expand the Group’s point-to-point mobility portfolio. We will use Addison Lee’s strong brand, customer base and reliable premium driver network to continue creating great journeys for our customers and the communities we serve.”

With 90% of their existing fleet already made up of cleaner energy vehicles, this will help accelerate our fleet transition journey,” he said. The addition of Addison Lee will grow ComfortDelGro’s taxi and private hire network to more than 34,000 vehicles globally.

Liam Griffin: 'ComfortDelGro positions us perfectly for further expansion into the premium segment'

Reading PHV drivers celebrate victory in bus lane battle

Reading private hire drivers have finally been given access to one of the town’s main bus lanes. They had been pleading to be allowed to use the outbound King’s Road bus lane in Reading, which had been restricted to buses, motorbikes, bicycles and hackney cabs.

Private hire drivers successfully argued that access to the bus lane would speed up journeys to and from the Royal Berkshire Hospital, and getting out of Reading to get to the M4 and Heathrow Airport, with the council changing its policy regarding access to the bus lane.

However, the rule changes mean only cab and private hire drivers who are licensed with Reading Borough Council can use the lane –which means cabs licensed out of town could face a penalty charge notice if they use the lane.

Cllr John Ennis, lead councillor for climate strategy and transport, had supported the

change, saying: “Reading-licensed private hire vehicles were excluded while out-of-town hackney carriages have access. Meanwhile, the inbound King’s Road bus lane has been used by Reading council licensed private hire vehicles for 11 years without major issues. It makes sense for the rules to be made

consistent on this stretch of road and for priority to be given to those private hire vehicles licensed here in Reading.”

Kamran Saddiq, chairman of the Reading Private Hire Association said: “It's going to be a massive help for all passengers, particularly for people going to the hospital, now we can avoid all this traffic.” Access to the bus lane for private hire drivers went live after signage was installed on Tuesday, October 1.

Saddiq thanked the councillors who voted for the change. “I want to say a big thank you for finally taking this seriously, and for recognising private hire taxis as an important form of transport.”

FreeNow breaks even and grows revenue on European expansion

Mark Bursa

German-owned ride-hailing app FreeNow, achieved break-even in the financial year to August 2024, backed by a 13% revenue growth driven by its strategic focus on the taxi sector.

FreeNow operates in a number of European countries including Germany, UK, Ireland, France, Spain, Poland, Italy, Greece and Austria. Its main focus is taxi services, though it offers other mobility options via its app, including e-bikes, e-scooters, car-sharing and car rental.

CEO Thomas Zimmermann said: “We are convinced that taxis are vital to every city’s mobility ecosystem. Our commitment to working with local taxi drivers and operators is the right approach for sustainable growth and success on both sides. Achieving break-even is a first substantial step and proves the

efficacy of our taxi-first strategy. We are dedicated to our vision, prioritising growth and sustained profitability in Europe.”

FreeNow operates in 150 European cities, partners closely with local taxi operators and more than 150,000 drivers. In London, its main focus is on black cabs, though it does offer a private hire service too.

In Germany, FreeNow, which is jointly owned by Daimler and BMW, experienced increased demand for taxi services, driven fixed-

price offerings in cities such as Berlin, where taxi demand increased by over 50% on rides serviced by FreeNow year on year.

Its German fleet expanded, with moves into new cities including as Nuremberg, Freiburg and Heidelberg. FreeNow has more than 20,000 taxis now operating in the country and the number of active drivers grew by more than 10%.

Recent initiatives include Ireland’s Airport Pre-book Promise, offering more confidence for airport

trips, as well as supporting London’s black cabs’ EV transition, with 70% of trips in the UK capital now done with zero-emission capable vehicles.

In Spain, FreeNow has expanded to cities such as Granada and Valladolid, and has introduced fixed-price fares in Madrid, Barcelona, and Granada.

Zimmermann said: “Our near-term strategy for FreeNow is to strengthen our position as the go-to taxi app in our leading markets, while aiming to achieve this status in all our operating regions and expand into more European cities.”

“We will also continue the modernisation of the taxi sector, by building partnerships with offline dispatchers and offering our online solutions to digitise their business. “The offline taxi market is huge and FreeNow is well positioned to capture its still untapped potential.”

Wolverhampton Council tightens up license applications because of safeguarding fears

Mark Bursa

Private hire drivers looking to get licensed in Wolverhampton will now have to attend a meeting in Wolverhampton in person rather than carrying out the whole process remotely.

The move is part of a plan to throttle back on issuing licenses to out-of-town drivers because of ‘safeguarding’ fears. Wolverhampton council fears it could suffer “reputational damage” if any drivers licensed in the city are found to be involved in sex abuse case or similar scandals.

The council has also revealed that it has suspended or revoked thousands of private hire licenses over the past four years as part of ongoing attempts to maintain standards.

It was recently revealed that Wolverhampton Council issued 8,563 new private hire driver’s licences in the first five months of this year, as increasing numbers of drivers choose to get licensed there rather than by their local authority.

Wolverhampton has geared up to offer a more efficient service, and the council said it could not re-

fuse applicants because they lived in a different area.

Earlier research showed that around 96% of the licenses issued in Wolverhampton in the 2023-24 financial year were for drivers who lived as far afield as Blackpool and Southampton.

But a report for the council’s Audit and Risk Committee found that as the number of licensees increases, so does the likelihood of a serious issue.

The report said: “There have been serious child sex exploitation scandals revealed in Rotherham and Telford, which involved taxi drivers. “Licensed vehicles provide a ‘camouflage’ which allows vehicles to traffic vulnerable people, as

well as the offer of free trips for grooming.”

John Roseblade, director of resident services, told the committee how there were plans to “throttle back the number of applications” the council was receiving. “There used to be a requirement we would visit drivers, now we require drivers to attend Wolverhampton, which is designed to discourage people,” he said.

The 2015 Deregulation Act means the authority was not allowed to turn down applications just because they were from outside Wolverhampton.

The council can only spend funds raised from fees on private hire licensing rather than general

expenditure so, to maintain high safeguarding and safety standards, the council is spending the cash on a system which checks every driver’s DBS certificate status every day, airport style facial recognition software to process new applicants and officers carrying out hundreds of safety checks in all parts of the country.

Indeed, City of Wolverhampton Council has revealed that enforcement actions it has taken outside Wolverhampton has resulted in more than 2,600 private hire licenses being revoked between the start of 2020 and the end of the first half of 2024, with a further 8,000 being suspended at some stage during the timeframe.

In 2020, the council suspended 1,031 licenses, while 417 were revoked. In 2021, the there were 1,028 suspensions but revocations dropped to 292. Since then the numbers have been rising, with 1,554 suspensions and 471 revocations in 2022 and 2,381 suspensions and 732 revocations in 2023.

The number is still rising – in the first half of 2024 2,055 licenses were suspended and 727 revoked.

Skoda targets security sector with armoured Kodiaq SUV

Skoda is targeting the security chauffeuring market with an armoured version of the Kodiaq SUV.

The Kodiaq Armoured was developed jointly by Skoda UK and UK armoured vehicle converter UTAC Special Vehicles. It is Skoda’s second armoured derivative – the Superb Armoured was launched in 2018, and nearly 500 have been sold.

As with all previous armoured variants, the Kodiaq was developed with the full co-operation and technical support of Škoda, and designed to look as similar to the production model as possible. Petrol and diesel powertrains are offered.

Features and enhancements include special bullet-resistant glass and armoured steel protection for the passenger compartment and a tyre retention system that prevents the tyre from leaving the rim.

Like the Superb Armoured, the Kodiaq Armoured is fully certified to PAS 300 and PAS 301 Civilian Armoured Vehicle standards. PAS 301 certification is only awarded to vehicles that can pass a number of demanding tests including the vehicle being subjected to in excess of 200 rounds of ammunition, plus an assessment of blast resistance to the vehicle side, roof and underfloor.

Wolverhampton council is investing heavily in hiring inspectors to carry out hundreds of safety checks in all parts of the country

Autocab adds payment and entertainment via CMT deal

Uber-owned dispatch provider Autocab has announced a new partnership with CMT Group. CMT specializes in passenger payment, rear-seat engagement applications, and runs the taxi e-hail network, Arro.

New York-based CMT Group has joined Autocab’s Connect Partner Program, which gives taxi companies worldwide access to a wider range of services.

In a statement, CMT Group said the partnership highlights its commitment to offering a comprehensive suite of tools for its operators, ensuring that both safety and operational efficiency are a priority.

Since 2005, CMT Group has been providing technology services for fleet, city and airport partners throughout the United States and London. The inclusion in the Connect Partner Program will provide Autocab’s network of operators with access to modern, secure and taxi-focused passenger payment systems.

These include credit and debit card processing, national dispatch solutions, media and advertising content and GPS and interactive map services.

CMT Group also provides fleet management infrastructure, logistics and data management, driver portal and services and other purpose-developed products and services. Its patented rear seat passenger informa-

tion monitor (PIM) is among the world’s first in-taxi kiosks, providing information about the taxi operator and local regulations as well as trip information, entertainment during the ride and a way to pay for the journey.

Autocab CEO Safa Alkateb said:

“We’ve built a global network aimed at identifying and solving needs so that Autocab provides the best possible service to our customers, from insurance services to call centre solutions, marketing to driver and vehicle tools.”

“CMT Group is an exciting addition to our team, offering innovative fleet management solutions, including passenger payment services, that will help operators achieve higher safety standards and improve operational oversight.”

Ron Sherman, Chairman of CMT Group, said: “We continue to focus on developing taxi-focused solutions that improve the passenger experience.”

TfL sets up Fastned fast-charging hubs venture with first sites to open in 2026

Mark Bursa

Transport for London is setting up a new joint venture partnership with European rapid charging company

Fastned to set up a number of electric vehicle charging hubs across London.

The first of five initial ultra-rapid charging hubs will be launched in 2026. At least a further 25 sites are planned as the joint venture progresses, with the potential to increase this to 65 hubs as market demand and opportunities arise.

The initial five locations are at Hangar Lane interchange in Ealing, in a vacant site off the North Ciruclar; Hatton Cross tube station car park near Heathrow Airport; a roadside location off the A13 in Canning Town; a former car park in Tottenham Hale that is currently used as a worksite; and an area next to Hillingdon Tube station.

Subject to approval by

TfL’s Land and Property Committee, TfL’s property arm Places for London will form the joint venture with Fastned at the earliest opportunity.

The joint venture will build dedicated off-street urban charging hubs that will be able to charge multiple vehicles simultaneously at high speeds. The larger sites will also include retail and other facilities, such as toilets where possible.

Customer safety will also be prioritised, with all sites

designed to provide clear lines of sight, lighting and CCTV, as well as on-site presence where additional facilities are provided.

The five initial locations will deliver around 50 bays in total. Each site can accommodate a minimum of six publicly accessible ultra-rapid charging bays, including at least one bay for those with accessibility needs.

Mark Farrow, director of strategy and planning at Places for London, said:

“These hubs will help encourage high-mileage businesses such as taxi, private hire and commercial drivers, across London, to confidently make the transition to electric vehicles.”

Deputy Mayor for environment and energy Mete Coban said: “We currently have more than 21,000 public electric vehicle charge points in London - over a third of the UK’s charging network - and the Mayor is committed to working with partners like Fastned to hugely expand that number in the next four years.”

Fastned already operates one of London’s busiest ultra-rapid charging hubs in Greenwich, which offers electric drivers up to 300 miles of range in as little as 20 minutes. Fastned already operates 25 charging hubs in the UK and more than 325 across Europe. Its hubs have distinctive solar canopies that keep drivers dry while charging.

Khosrowshahi plans to accelerate Uber’s ‘just plain better’ EV shift

Uber plans to accelerate the transition of its private hire and taxi fleet to an all-electric one, CEO Dara Khosrowshahi (pictured) told the company’s annual Green event at the London Science Museum.

He described EVs as “just plain better” than internal combustion-engined cars, and told the audience that almost 30% of all Uber miles in London were now electric. Uber drivers are switching to EVs five times faster than the average motorist, he said.

Uber unveiled new initiatives and products aimed at bolstering electric cars in the UK. It is introducing a new feature that will allow passengers to request an EV as standard, as well as plans to reward the customer who saves the most emissions

with free rides for a decade.

Uber has seen the number of EVs on its platform increase from 10,000 four years ago to 182,000 globally. Uber has completed half a billion zero emissions trips globally, and offers EVs in 32 countries.

Khosrowshahi questioned the view that the EV

market was slowing down: “When you hear someone talk about leading the way with EVs, you might be thinking, 'Wait a minute, is the momentum around EVs slowing down?' To some extent, you would be right, but that’s not the whole story.

“Traditional car makers are slashing prices and

pushing back many of their EV goals, but the number of EV sales continues to rise. At Uber, EVs are really taking off.”

Khosrowshahi said Uber had made it easy for drivers and passengers to try electric vehicles, through test drives, events, rental partnerships, purchase discounts and the app’s Uber green option. He claimed drivers were getting more tips and have lower maintenance costs, while riders get a smoother, quieter ride.

He said: “EVs have become a politically charged issue. How you vote often determines how you feel about EVs. Here at Uber we see people from across the political spectrum, everywhere we operate, choosing EVs because they’re just plain better. No matter what your political beliefs are, better is better.”

London Mayor Saqiq Khan says new taxi action plan will launch ‘early next year’

London Mayor Sadiq Khan has told the London Assembly that a new Taxi and Private Hire Action Plan will be launched “early next year”.

Mayor Khan was responding to a written question from London Assembly member Hina Bokhari over the sharp fall in black cab numbers in the capital.

Khan said Transport for London was preparing a revised plan for the industry. A draft plan was published in March, which had plenty of input from the LTDA but was very light on detail regarding private hire.

The last strategic plan for the

London taxi and private hire sector was published in 2016, but many in the London Assembly believe it to be out of date, as the industry has been through an intense period of change, with the growth of ride-hailing apps.

Between 2013 and 2023, PHV numbers almost doubled from 49,900 to 89,600, while the number of black taxis in London fell by almost a third from 22,200 to 15,100. Khan said: “Transport for London is in the process of producing a refreshed Taxi and Private Hire Action Plan. This has involved a number of engagement sessions with taxi and private hire representatives and wider stakeholder groups to understand key concerns and issues within the taxi and private hire industries. The new Action Plan will be published early next year.”

Mark Bursa

Dara Khosrowshahi: 'We see people from across the political spectrum choosing EVs because they’re just plain better'

Bolt drivers are workers, Employment Tribunal rules

Bolt drivers should now be legally recognised as ‘workers’ rather than self-employed contractors, according to an Employment Tribunal ruling.

The decision grants more than 100,000 Bolt drivers rights and protections under UK employment law, including eligibility for the national minimum wage and statutory holiday pay.

Lawyers from Leigh Day representing the drivers said the employment tribunal decision means drivers could receive collective compensation worth more than £200m – or around £15,000 per driver.

The tribunal dismissed Bolt’s claim that its drivers are independent contractors, arguing instead that Bolt’s control over drivers and strict terms qualify them as ‘workers’.

The tribunal stated: “Overwhelmingly, the power lies with Bolt,” adding “there is nothing in the relationship which demands, or even suggests, agency,” rejecting the notion that drivers operate as independent agents.

The tribunal stated: “The supposed contract between the Bolt driver and the passenger is a

fiction designed by Bolt – and in particular its lawyers – to defeat the argument that it has an employer/worker relationship with the driver.”

A Bolt spokesperson said Bolt could appeal the decision, adding: “Drivers are at the heart of what we do, and we have always supported the overwhelming majority’s choice to remain self-employed, independent contractors, protecting their flexibility, personal control and earning potential.”

Bolt App Drivers and Couriers Union (ACDU) General Secretary Zamir Dreni said: “This ruling against Bolt is long overdue but, once again, the poorest paid workers

must spend years in litigation while successive governments stand by idly. The ruling vindicates our position on working time and demonstrates that neither Bolt nor Uber have never fully complied with the Supreme Court ruling which means that between 40 and 60% of true working time remains unpaid.”

He continued: “Rather than force workers back into courts for another decade of litigation, the government needs to step in now and fix the current employment bill, which omitted protections for gig workers, so that Britain’s hard working minicab drivers and delivery couriers get the protections they deserve.”

Former ACDU boss James Farrar criticised the government’s recent omission of worker status in the employment bill, saying: “It is a shame that the government baulked on addressing worker status in the current employment bill and should now do so in light of this ruling.”

The tribunal also said that drivers should be paid for logged-in waiting time – something that Bolt’s rival Uber has refused to do in the wake of similar rulings about its drivers.

Cab My Ride licenses reinstated after Southampton appeal upheld

Mark Bursa

South coast private hire operator Cab My Ride has had its license reinstated by West Hampshire Magistrates Court after it successfully appealed a ruling from Southampton Council that it was not “fit and proper”.

The council revoked Cab My Ride’s license earlier in the year after a number of issues were raised. These included wheelchair users being overcharged, children being driven to and from school in an unlicensed and damaged vehicle and questions about the conduct of a former director, who resigned in 2020.

But the company claimed the decision was based on “factual inaccuracies” in a report about the company, and Southampton City Council opted not to oppose the appeal.

“Effective immediately, we will retain our three operator licenses in Southampton: Cab My Ride, Aryvo, and Bitterne Cars,” the company said in a statement.

The company had continued to operate on licenses issued by neighbouring authorities Eastleigh Borough Council and New Forest District Council.

Director Arjan Sahota

(pictured) said: “This year has been paralysing and has presented unprecedented challenges, that have tested our resilience and determination."

"We have attempted to use the evidence we have gathered to make positive changes, working closely with the licensing department to highlight broader failures within the South-

ampton taxi industry.”

He continued: “We must now work to repair the significant damage this chain of events has caused. Moving forward, the company is committed strengthening its service offerings. Aryvo aims to be the trusted transportation partner Southampton deserves.”

Cab My Ride has been acquisitive in recent times, buying two other local operators in 2022 and building a fleet of around 300 cars.

In January 2022 it bought Hampshire operator Bitterne Cars, and in October 2022 it bought 70-car operator Millers Taxi, which operates in the Eastleigh, Fareham and Winchester area.

The recently launched Aryvo brand relates to an app that the company has developed, and is heavily promoted across the company’s various websites.

Arjan Sahota: 'We are working with the licensing department to highlight broader failures within the Southampton taxi industry.'

Uber granted 30-month London license with ‘conditions’ attached

Mark Bursa

Uber has been granted a further 30-month London private hire vehicle operator’s license, with Transport for London again refusing to issue a full fiveyear license.

As previously, TfL has attached unspecified “conditions” to Uber’s license. Details of the conditions of the license have not been released by TfL. These usually relate to safety concerns and record-keeping, and are not thought to be overly stringent – though the fact that TfL has not issued a full 60-month license does indicate that it still has concerns about Uber.

A Freedom of Information request in 2021 revealed that Uber had 21 conditions attached to its London license, which was subsequently renewed in 2022.

Rivals Bolt and FreeNow had fewer conditions – 15 and 9 respectively. And

now-defunct Ola, which only won its license on appeal, had just seven conditions, though they were believed to be more stringent.

A TfL spokesperson said: “Uber has been granted a London private hire vehicle operator’s license for a period of 30 months, with conditions.”

Uber UK general manager Andrew Brem said in a statement: “Uber is focused on being the best partner

to London and we will continue to keep raising the bar on safety, leading the way in improving working conditions for drivers, and pushing to electrify every car on the Uber platform.”

TfL has twice before withdrawn Uber’s licence to operate in London, in 2017 and 2019, over passenger safety concerns. In both cases, Uber was allowed to continue operating pending appeal. Which were successful in both

cases. After the second appeal, TfL awarded Uber a 30-month license in March 2022.

In 2019, TfL decided Uber did not meet the “fit and proper” requirements for private hire operators. Inspectors discovered that at least 14,000 journeys were undertaken by drivers who effectively faked their identity - using another Uber account after exploiting “vulnerabilities” in the company’s app.

Uber granted Blackpool license despite local objections

Uber has been granted a license to operate in Blackpool despite protests from resort's taxi trade.

Local council licensing officers said the company fulfilled all the criteria for a private hire operator’s license, which will allow local drivers to work under a Blackpool license.

Cllr Paula Burdess, cabinet member for community safety, street scene and neighbourhoods, told a council meeting there was “nothing to call into question the fitness and propriety of the applicant”.

Some Uber drivers had already been working in Blackpool, but were licensed by other local authorities, mainly Wolverhampton. The move means Blackpool Council will be able to monitor and inspect Uber drivers who are licensed with them.

But existing operators are unhappy with the decision. In June drivers from established taxi firms, including C-Cabs, Premier Cabs and Blacktax, joined a town centre protest against the influx of out-of-town drivers.

But Cllr Burdess said: “The issues raised by local taxi drivers about drivers licensed outside of the area could not lawfully be considered in relation to this application. This application was purely about Uber’s suitability to hold an operator’s licence.”

She added: “I know that the arrival of Uber in Blackpool is worrying for the existing taxi trade. Independent retailers and hoteliers have faced the same concerns over the years when national and international companies have started operating here. There is nothing we can do, or should do, to stop businesses coming to Blackpool if they are legally allowed to and are operating within the law.”

TakeMe goes national with Scotland and Wales deals

TakeMe has made major steps to becoming a truly national private hire brand with further expansion into Wales and its first move into Scotland.

TakeMe has acquired Glasgow-based Saltire Private Hire, and already the company is talking about expanding into more Scottish markets. TakeMe CEO David Hunter said “This partnership signals our continued growth across the UK and strengthens our network by bringing together local expertise with the power of a national brand.”

Rob Finlayson from Saltire Private Hire said: “We now have a full team behind us, and TakeMe can push us into new areas. We have ambitious plans, and I’m really impressed with their new data analytics teams that can do clever things through the digital sphere to attract both drivers and customers.”

Meanwhile, Driven Taxis of Porthcawl has

become the latest Welsh private hire operator to join TakeMe. Founders Roger and Leanne Bridge are staying on to manage the business. By joining TakeMe, both Driven Taxis and Saltire Private Hire will benefit from centralised support, national buying power for fleets and

utilities, an enhanced online presence through the TakeMe app, and streamlined operations with access to the group’s call centre. Hunter said: “It’s fantastic to see more independent companies joining our mission to transform the private hire industry.”

TakeMe expands in north and midlands with triple takeovers

Mark Bursa

Long-established Yorkshire operator White Rose Taxis is the latest business to join the fast-growing TakeMe network. It follows deals in Cheshire and Birmingham that give the ambitious group a stronger base across the midlands and north of England.

Whitby-based White Rose Taxis was established in 1983. By joining TakeMe’s network of private hire companies, it further enhances the group’s strong presence in Yorkshire.

David Hunter, CEO of TakeMe, said: “This is an amazing addition to our fleet, particularly in the Yorkshire region where we already have a solid base in Pickering and Malton. We’re thrilled to welcome White Rose Taxis into the TakeMe family and look forward to working closely with Kris Steele, their

current CEO, to support and upscale their business in the Whitby area.”

Joining TakeMe will allow White Rose Taxis to access the group’s app technology, centralised digital marketing and driver support systems.

White Rose Taxis CEO Kris Steele: “We’re excited to join forces with TakeMe and tap into their extensive network and resources. This is a fantastic opportunity to grow our business in Whitby and surrounding areas while maintaining the high

standards our customers have come to expect.”

Meanwhile, GM Travel, based in Northwich, Cheshire, has brought its 50-car fleet into the group.

Take Me group CEO David Hunter said: “Led by Mustafa Ghulam, GM Travel has built a strong reputation for excellence in the region. GM Travel will significantly bolster our presence in the North West, and we look forward to working together.”

And Birmingham’s Great Barr Cars, operating for

more than 40 years, has also come on board. With a fleet of 60 active drivers, Great Barr Cars was founded by four partners: Abdul Rahim, Sammy Rahim, Javid Iqbal and Ayaaz Iqbal.

Hunter said: “We have acquired Great Barr Cars with Abdul Rahim leading the transition, ensuring that the values and service quality will remain unchanged.” The deal boosts the total number of drivers in the Take Me Birmingham hub to 700.

Abdul Rahim will continue to play a pivotal role in the company’s operations. He said: “I’m delighted to see Great Barr Cars join the Take Me group. Our shared values of customer service and community commitment made this a natural fit. I look forward to continuing our work under the Take Me banner, bringing even more value and innovation to our customers.

[From right] Rob Finlayson and Graeme McNab of Saltire Private Hire with David Hunter and John Gardner of TakeMe Group

NPHTA SLAMS ‘POORLY RESEARCHED’ DEBATE

Last month’s government debate on the subject of cross-border hiring was “poorly researched and presented”, and contained many “misleading and incorrect” statements.

This is the view of National Private Hire and Taxi Association director David Lawrie, who has launched a stinging attack on the MPs who contributed to the debate, claiming that the discussion highlighted “how little the MPs understand our plight, the legislation, enforcement powers and root causes of the problems”.

Lawrie said: “The attention to this subject is much appreciated, but a deeper understanding both by the MP raising the topic as well as those participating in the debate would have been extremely beneficial.”

The debate was initiated by Chris Vince, Labour MP for Harlow. Lawrie believes Vince was correct to high-

The Parliamentary debate on cross-border hiring highlighted a lack of understanding from MPs, raising fears that the Deregulation Act could be under threat, because MPs don't understand the issues.That's the view of NPHTA chief David Lawrie. Mark Bursa reports

light the consequences of cross-border hiring on the livelihoods of locally-licensed drivers. But Vince and others contributing to the debate wrongly linked the issue to the Deregulation Act of 2015. “This is simply not the case,” Lawrie said. “Unfortunately, he [Vince] and other MPs also continued to quote further incorrect and misleading information throughout the discussion.”

Worryingly, some MPs, including Rachael Maskell, Labour MP for York, called for the Act to be repealed, while Vince himself suggested that all bookings should start and end in the area in which the drivers are licensed

– undesirable and unworkable suggestions that would have a negative impact on the sector.

Lawrie maintained that the Dereglation Act has not led to the growth in cross-border hires. He said: “To be clear, the Deregulation Act 2015 did two things: Firstly, it regulated the period for which licenses are issued: driver’s license (3 years); operator’s licence (5 years) and vehicle licence (1 year).”

“Secondly, it clarified that it was legal for a private hire operator in one area to subcontract to an operator licensed by another area, and so enable legitimate use of vehicles and drivers correctly licensed by the same authority and therefore comply with the triple-lock rule, The Deregulation Act did absolutely nothing else.”

During the debate, Vince appeared to be unaware of the requirement for local authorities to use the NR3 database when checking a driver's suitability to receive a license. Vince said: “Cross-border hiring undermines high standards. A driver who loses their license in one district can simply apply for a license elsewhere and continue operating with little or no scrutiny.”

“Local authorities lack the enforcement powers to enforce out-of-town drivers which leaves a gaping hole in our public safety framework. How can we claim to protect our constituents, when such fundamental weaknesses exist in our system?”

This is not the case, said Lawrie. “High standards are maintained by all local authorities with only minor deviations in criteria, for example CCTV, fire extinguishers, first aid kits, vehicle colour, tinted window restrictions etc.”

NPHTA boss David Lawrie: “Debate showed how little the MPs understand our plight, the legislation, enforcement powers and root causes of the problems.”

news analysis: cross-border debate

“To be clear, powers to oversee proper regulation refers to legislation as opposed to local conditions; local councils have the power to enforce regulation as national legislation is set by parliament.”

Lawrie continued: “It may be helpful for Chris Vince to look at the Statutory Standards 2020 which introduced the NR3 Database as a mandatory condition. He would then understand that it is now very difficult (although not impossible) for a driver who has lost their license in one district to obtain a license anywhere else in the country.”

Other ill-informed comments came from Gill Furniss, Labour MP for Sheffield, Brightside and Hillsborough, who claimed that a lack of scrutiny by other councils undermines safeguarding and puts the public at risk. She claimed her licensing team did not have the powers to check that out-of-town vehicles are being driven by properly licensed drivers.

Lawrie disagreed. “All local authorities have very strict inspections and compliance checks. It is also now national legislation that all drivers take safeguarding courses. Furthermore, council enforcement officers have the powers to check for all criminal offences not only that a driver is licensed but is displaying his license on duty as these are criminal matters, not local conditions.

During the debate, Vince said he wanted to see a a national minimum standard for private hire established by law, and that councils should have the power to enforce national regulations. But he went on to dredge up the ‘ABBA principle” – that all journeys should start and finish within the licensed area.

Lawrie said the NPHTA did not agree that journeys should start or end within the licensed district. “The ABBA principle does not work simply because a customer may want to book a trip with their regular operator to legitimately pick them up (as it is prebooked) from their work address to an airport, train station, hospital, or anywhere else and it cannot be assumed that the trip will start or end within the boundaries of the operator.”

One MP who did show some understanding of the situation was Dr Zubir Ahmed, Labour MP for Glasgow South West – and the son of a taxi driver – who highlighted the important role taxi and private hire drivers play in our society and asked if the minister would look into the escalating costs associated with the industry.

Lawrie’s takeaway from the debate was a lack of understanding of the basic elements of the industry. There was confusion about the differences between hackney carraiges and private hire vehicles, and suggestions that some drivers were not being properly

checked, even though the DBS checks have been tightened in recent years and all councils have a statutory duty to perform these checks.

Transport minister Simon Lightwood did appear to support the principle of national standards and a national licensing system, but offered no view as to how or when this might be achieved.

Lawrie’s disappointment with the debate is clear: “Unfortunately there are too many other ill-informed people in our trade, many of whom are more than happy to convince both their MPs and local and national media that this issue is simply a consequence of the Deregulation Act and that lower safety standards and checks in other towns and cities is the problem.”

“Sadly, the debate was poorly researched and presented, showing how little the MPs understand our plight, the legislation, enforcement powers and route causes of the problems. We have reached out several times to discuss, explain and assist, but are often met with automatic replies or no reply at all, which leaves them to debate matters based on nothing more than rumour and misinformation.”

Lawrie concluded: “What a crying shame that we have waited so long for this high-profile matter which has such an effect on so many to be granted time in the House, only for it to be wasted in such a manner.”

Chris Vince MP (left) initiated the debate, but appeared to lack understanding of how the industry operates; Zubir Ahmed MP (centre) believes more should be done to help the trade; Transport Minister Simon Lightwood (left) appears to favour national standards.

Last show standing

Motor Shows have dwindled in importance in recent years, and the demise of the Geneva Show – 2024 was the last – means Europe now only has one annual show.

This alternates between Paris and Munich, and the 2024 Paris ‘Mondial’ shows that there’s perhaps life in the concept yet. There were notable absentees – no Ford, Toyota or Mercedes – but the Chinese were there in force, highlighting their ambitious approach to global sales.

Encouragingly for chauffeurs and private hire operators, not everything was SUV-shaped, with plenty of saloons and MPVs on show. How many of these brands will make it to market is not clear – but the brands at Paris were by no means a comprehensive selection of Chinese capability. Munich 2025 should be interesting!

Skoda Elroq

Skoda is following up the success of the Enyaq SUV with a smaller electric car. The Elroq is aimed squarely at the likes of Hyundai Kona and Kia Niro – as well as the many new Chinese compact SUVs. It’s already available to order and sales will start in the new year. Elroq will be capable of between 230 and 360 miles of range depending on battery size, while entry-level pricing is keen at £31,500.

Audi Q6 e-tron Sportback

Audi has added a more sporty coupe-style body to its Q6 e-tron electric SUV range.

The Q6 e-tron Sportback follows the trend set by BMW, Mercedes and Volvo of offering coupe alternatives in its SUV range.

The Q6 e-tron Sportback offers a slightly greater range than the conventional Q6 e-tron, and the rearwheel-drive Performance version now offers a range of 408 miles.

UK sales start in April, with prices from £62,475.

Y Leclercq/Creative Commons

Y Leclercq/Creative Commons

Kia PV5

Kia is entering the van market in 2025, and this could give taxi operators a very useful electric 7-seater.

The Kia PV5 is modern and roomy, and will be available as panel van and pick-up as well as a minibus.

Technical details are thin on the ground, but the PV5 is 4.65m long, with a 3m wheelbase.

The interior is flexible with the option of 2+2 conference seating. It’s expected to have a 350-mile range, better than most electric van-based MPVs on the market.Prices are likely to start just above £30,000 for the panel van.

BMW Neue Klasse and Neue Klasse X

BMW showcased the look of its next generation cars with two ‘Neue Klasse’ concepts, showing the design direction for saloons and SUVs.

Inspired by the 1960s Neue Klasse cars that signaled BMW’s transformation into a luxury automaker, the Neue Klasse and Neue Klasse X concepts have a lighter, airier look, with bigger windows

and narrow pillars. The BMW grille receives new treatments too – wide on the saloon, but narrow on the SUV. The look "reflects the essence of the BMW brand”, said BMW design head Adrian van Hooydonk. The look is expected to debut next year on the next-generation 3-series, and will roll out as BMW renews the other models in its range.

F Lemal/Adobe Stock

@JellevanderWolf/Adobe Stock

@JellevanderWolf/Adobe Stock

XPeng P7+

Chinese newcomer XPeng started making cars in 2018.

But it’s strong on technology and use of AI in autonomous features. VW has invested in the company, so it’s a serious player.

The P7+ executive saloon is a Tesla 3 rival, and in China it undercuts the Tesla on price. European sales are expected to start next year.

Hongqi EH7

Hongqi is one of China’s oldest car brands – owned by the country’s second-biggest automaker FAW, and it has made luxury cars for the ruling elite since the 1950s. It recently hit the headlines with a Rolls-Royce copy that won’t be coming here. But the EH7 EV is coming to the UK in the next 2-3 years, Hongqi says, along with the EHS7 electric SUV.

BYD Sealion 7

A bigger BYD? You bet. The BYD Sealion 7 will hit UK showrooms in early 2025.

Longer and taller than the Seal range, it uses the same battery technology, giving BYD an SUV to challenge Tesla Y, Polestar 3 and even Audi Q6 e-tron.

Pricing will be announced before the February UK launch.

Leapmotor C10

If you can’t beat ’em, buy ’em. That’s what Stellantis has done, setting up a 51:49 JV with China's Leapmotor.

Founded in 2015, it’s grown rapidly to be the third biggest electric and plug-in hybrid vehicle maker in China. The JV is a smart move, as it could help Stellantis avoid tariffs by building Leapmotor cars in Europe. The C10 is the first fruit of the alliance – and this SUV is coming to the UK next year, with a bargain price of £36,500, in just one specification.

The C10 has a 69.9kWh battery for a claimed 260 miles of range. It’s powered by a single rear-mounted motor producing 215hp. DC rapid charging is capped at 84kW –slow by leading standards.

Y Leclercq/Creative Commons

GAC AION Hyptec HT and AION V

You might not have heard of GAC AION, but in 2023 only BY and Tesla made more electric cars than the company.

At Paris it effectively launched the brand, showcasing several new models including the GAC AION Hyptec HT (above), and AION V. The Hyptec HT crossover claims a 400-mile plus range, while the larger AION V SUV has been “designed for Europe”, the company says.

Forthing S7 and V9

All the major Chinese players are now targeting Europe. Dongfeng Liuzhou Motor, one of the largest Chinese automakers, showed two new electric vehicles under its Forthing brand, though it has not announced any launch dates as yet..

The highly aerodynamic Forthing S7 is the brand’s first pure electric sedan, and the company actually drove one from China to Paris. A 56.8 kWh lithium gives the car a 350-mile range.

The Forthing V9 is a large plug-in hybrid MPV with a wheelbase of more than 3,000mm and a very roomy 7-seater interior. Dongfeng claims the V9 has a pure EV range of around 100 miles. Both cars are on sale in China.

GAC

F Lemal/Adobe Stock

F Lemal/Adobe Stock

THK LSR-05

This concept coupe-saloon is a showcase for Japanese company THK’s latest EV technology.

Designed by ex-Nissan designer Shiro Nakamura, who penned the Skyline GT-R, t THK LSR-05 is powered by two rear-mounted 93kW in-wheel electric motors and a 220kW front motor, and a four-wheel steering system.

The LSR-05 also previews a wireless charging system called CLPS, which involves lowering the vehicle’s suspension for improved charging efficiency.

Peugeot e-408

Peugeot launched an electric version of its 408 crossover, aimed at mid-market executive EVs such as the Tesla Model 3 and Polestar 2.

A 58.2kWh battery pack gives a range of 281 miles, Peugeot claims, though this is below the 400-mile capability of its rivals. However, the e-408 could be upgraded to the larger 98kWh battery used in the Peugeot e-3008 and e-5008 SUVs,

Renault Emblème

Developed by Renault’s Ampère advanced EV division, the Emblème grand tourer concept uses a combined electric and hydrogen fuel cell powertrain.

It has a small 40kWh battery pack to keep weight down, and a 2.8kg hydrogen tank, powering a 215hp electric motor. Combined total range is around 217 miles, but you can top up with hydrogen in minutes.

Citroen C5 Aircross

Citroen’s new Citroen C5 Aircross SUV shares a platform with the Peugeot 3008, which means an electric version will be offered alongside PHEV versions.

If it matches the Peugeot’s performance, the e-C5 Aircross will have a 320-mile range on a 73kWh battery or a whopping 430 miles with an optional a 98kWh battery.

The C5 Aircross will be pitched as a value-for-money model with prices expected to start below £30,000 for the PHEV, but probably under £40,000 for the electric version.

which have a range of more than 420 miles. The e-408 is expected to cost around £45,000 when it goes on sale towards the end of the year.

7

AITO is one of the newest Chinese brands. Apparently it stands for ‘Adding Intelligence to Auto’, and it’s expected to launch in Europe next year. It’s owned by a Chinese company called Seres, but in the background as technology provider and arm’s length backer is controversial Chinese computer giant Huawei.

Y Leclercq/Creative Commons

Y Leclercq/Creative Commons

AITO

F Lemal/Adobe Stock

Experts in Chauffeur and Private Hire Finance

Ethos Asset Finance are the experts in your industry for finance solutions.

We’re here to make the whole process seamless.

We provide funding and sourcing packages for the chauffeur and private hire network

We have access to multiple panels of funders who also specialise in B2B vehicles finance

We make the process easy - as we do all the paperwork and sign ups

We provide ongoing support to secure credit lines for fleets and operators/owner drivers

We have access to competitive rates of interest

Efficient payouts to support delivery and target needs

THE BIG EXPRESS THE BIG EXPRESS

Volkswagen ID.7 Pro S Match Volkswagen ID.7 Pro S Match

The past few years have been tough for Volkswagen. Dieselgate damaged its reputation and its finances. Supply problems meant EV production fell below demand. And customers remain unconvinced by VW’s two-range strategy: traditional names for IC-engined models, but ID brands for EVs.

But the company has pressed on with this strategy, and now has an extensive EV range, with this car, the ID.7, being the latest addition to the ID parade.

It’s Passat-sized, but unlike the latest Passat range, it comes with more than one bodystyle. Passat is now down to an estate only, whereas the ID.7 has both hatch and wagon bodies.

Our tested vehicle is riced at almost £59,000 – a good £10,000 more than an equivalent Passat PHEV – signaling that the ID-7 is a more p-market model, designed to compete against the likes of the Polestar 4 and even the Mercedes-Benz EQE.

It certainly feels like an executive car. Fit and finish is sizeably better than on smaller VW ID.3 and ID.4 models, which share a rather basic interior. On ID.7 plastic are soft-touch and stalks feel solid and classy. ID.7 is still a minimal affair, like most EVs, with a central tablet-like 15in screen controlling most functions. This uses Volkswagen’s latest MIB4 infotainment software, which works well.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 22

Mark Bursa Mark Bursa

EXPRESS EXPRESS

DATA

Price OTR £58,930

SPECIFICATION

Powertrain Single electric motor

Transmission SIngle-speed auto, rear-wheel drive

Battery pack 86kWh Li-Ion

Power 286bhp

Torque 545Nm

Top speed 112mph

0-62mph 6.6sec

Electric range 437 miles (WLTP combined)

Charging time 9h 0min AC (11kW 10100%)

26min DC (200kW 1080%)

CO2 emissions 0g/km

Length 4,961mm

Width 2,141mm

Height 1,536mm

Wheelbase 2,971mm

Loadspace 532 litres (seats up) 1,586 litres (seats down)

Turning circle 10.9m

Vehicle warranty 2yr/unlimited miles

Battery warranty 8yr/100,000 miles

Insurance Group 38E

VED Band A

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 20

The gear selector is a stalk on the steering column, which frees up the centre console for use as storage, cup-holders and inductive phone chargers. There are also two USB-C ports in the front and two in the rear, with total charging capacity for devices of up to 45 watts.

The interior design is well integrated, with a small and simple central dashboard display giving basic information such as speed and range.

There’s also a head-up display which carries sat-nav instructions and speed restrictions. Additionally, this system reads the road, and projects dynamic lines on to the windscreen that show where the kerb and lanes are – helping you stay in lane without annoying warnings. These seem very accurate, and are a big help in poor lighting conditions.

Thankfully the heater controls are displayed all the time on the main screen so you don’t need to hack through menus to turn the air-con down a notch.

The ID.7 Pro S model on test here is a long-range Pro S version. It has a whopping 86kWh battery compared to the 77 kWh battery in the ID.7 Match version. This bigger power pack gives it one of the highest ranges of any electric vehicles on the market.

VW claims WLTP range of 437

miles – though in real-world testing around the streets of Zurich earlier in the year, VW engineers managed to drive for 493 miles on a single charge, at an average speed of 30mph on mixed roads, which is pretty much London to Aberdeen.

It's also an efficient recharger, if VW’s data is to be believed. In 10 minutes of ultra-fast charging, you can add 150 miles of range, providing you can find a rapid charger that runs at 200kWh. A 10-80% recharge takes about 26 minutes using similar equipment.

Other features include Matrix headlights; three-zone air conditioning with smart vents; heated front seats with massage functions and privacy glass in the rear.

The ID.7 is a long car – almost 5m long - and a wheelbase of nearly 3m means short overhangs and maximised cabin space. This translates to plenty of rear legroom. And despite the coupe-like roof line, the ID.7 is a tall car so rear headroom is not a problem. Boot space is generous at 532 litres with the rear seats up, rising to 1,586 with the rear seats down. You’ll have to keep your charging cables in the boot – there’s no “frunk”, sadly.

Like all new cars, there are a number of audible safety warnings which you can turn off, but turn themselves back on again when you restart the car. They’re quieter and less annoying

than some cars, but the last thing your customers want are irritating bings and bongs. We’re just going to have to get used to turning them off quickly at the start of every trip, I’m afraid.

On the road, the ID.7 has a big-car feel, and a proper saloon vibe, not an SUV feel. There is exceptional in-cab quietness – just a bit of road noise. The ride is very smooth, despite the 19in wheels. The ID.7 coped very well with speed humps on the route. Handling is exceptional on country lanes – far more engaging than many EVs, and urban mobility is helped by a 10.9m turning circle.

The ID.7 Pro S uses the latest generation VW electric drive system, which uses a 286PS electric drive motor integrated in the driven rear axle Maximum torque is 545Nm, and 0-62mph acceleration is brisk at 6.6 seconds. You can feel the seat-belt tensioners tighten up when pulling away quickly.

One neat tech add-on is an optional electric vehicle route planner, which calculates an optimum route taking into account the current battery charge and the available charging stations along the route. It shows the driver the best charging points and plans the necessary charging stops to make the journey efficient. It also takes realtime traffic data into account to find the fastest and most convenient route. You can programme it on a smartphone app and upload it to the car.

road test: Volkswagen

VERDICT

The VW ID.7 is undoubtedly an executive-class car, of a standard above the basic minicab. In fact it’s the closest to an executive saloon that VW has produced since the Phaeton. Can the VW badge still cut it as a premium brand? Why not, in an age of Teslas and Polestars? And while the ID.7 Pro S is not cheap at £55k upwards, it’s cheaper than, say, a Mercedes EQE or a BMW i5, and arguably better suited for carrying people in the back.

It’s certainly better finished inside than the smaller VW ID models, though the interior is typically “EV-ish” with no physical switches and everything via the satnav screen.

Ride and handling are exceptional, as is cabin noise insulation. The ID.7 is genuinely engaging to drive, especially for a big car

It’s practical too, with exceptional range. We doubt that on a wet Wednesday night in November that you’ll get the claimed 437 miles – but the ID.7 should give you 300-plus miles, which will get you from London to Newcastle on a single charge.

The ability to have an electric “splash and dash” of 150 miles of range in 10 minutes is a real advantage – a toilet break doesn’t have to involve spending more money on coffee and burgers!

There’s some very neat technology on the car too – the lane departure system is helpful, rather than irritating, showing the course of the road on the windscreen as part of the headup display.

And we like the route planning system that allows you to integrate the best charging options into your route – helpful for longer journeys.

THE FRENCH

THE FRENCH

Mark Bursa Mark Bursa

Toyota Proace Verso Toyota Proace Verso

CONNECTION CONNECTION

DATA

Price as tested £49,908 OTR

SPECIFICATION

Powertrain Single electric motor

Transmission SIngle-speed auto, front-wheel drive

Battery pack 75kWh Li-Ion

Power 136hp

Torque 260Nm

Top speed 81mph

0-62mph 13.3sec

Electric range 213 miles (WLTP combined)

Charging time 7hr 30min AC (11kW 10100%)

38min DC (100kW 1080%)

CO2 emissions 0g/km

Length 4,981mm

Width 2,204mm

Height 1,935mm

Wheelbase 3,275mm

Loadspace 220 litres (seats up) 640 litres (long body)

Turning circle 12.4m

Vehicle warranty 10 yr/100,000 miles

Battery warranty 8yr/100,000 miles

Insurance Group n/a

VED Band A

Toyota was undoubtedly – and perhaps surprisingly – slow off the mark with its electric offerings. Having dominated the hybrid market for the past 20 years, the company is now in need of an EV boost in order to keep those Prius and Corolla private hire customers coming back for their next car.

The BZ4X EV is starting to gain some traction in the market, but Toyota has been able to speed up electrification of its light commercial range through a supply deal with Stellantis.

This gives it access to a range of van-based electric people -movers built in France at Stellantis’s Sevel Nord factory.

Toyota calls the vehicle the Proace Verso– and now, for

the first time, an electric version has joined the range as part of a ‘renewal of vows’ of the LCV supply contract.

For the first time, Toyota now has a full range of Stellantis-built vans, ranging from the car-derived Proace City to the big Proace Max – which we know here as the Vauxhall Movano, Fiat Ducato, Citroen Relay and Peugeot Boxer.

Likewise, the Proace Verso is mechanically the same as the mainstream Stellantis vans – which means the Proace Verso is the same under the skin as the Vauxhall Vivaro-e, Citroen Space Tourer and Peugeot Traveller. But with Toyota being a highly a trusted brand in the taxi market, it should prove to be a useful addition for many private hire operators looking for a versatile seven-seater.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 22

road test: Toyota Proace Verso

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 20

Toyota’s Verso models are now exclusively battery-electric vehicles –you can still get an IC-engined panel van, but not the seated versions.

Earlier versions of these vans were somewhat limited in terms of range. But the 2024 Proace models feature a revised electric powertrain that delivers an increase in range.

Proace Verso now has a new 134bhp electric motor, and coupled with a 75kWh battery can cover up to 213 miles (WLTP standard) on a full charge, an increase of 12.5 miles on earlier versions. The battery can be recharged in 45 mins using a DC fast-charger. The previously available 50kW battery is now only available on base model panel vans.

A further boost to range has come from the introduction of a regenerative braking system, with the intensity of the regeneration controlled by paddle shifts behind the steering wheel. There are three levels – light, medium and strong. Strong gives you more regen, but at the expense of smoothness. The trick is to use strong when empty, but revert to light with passengers!

Entry point to the Proace Verso line-up is the Icon model, priced at £45,769, and available with either eight or nine seats. Really designed as a crewbus, the basic Icon spec includes air conditioning, heated driver’s seat, dark grey fabric upholstery, an auto-dimming rear-view mirror, LED headlights, rear privacy glass, power-folding heated door mirrors and rear parking sensors.

It also uses the new multimedia package featured across the Proace family, including a 10in display, navigation system, voice recognition and smartphone integration for both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Design grade (tested here) costs £49,263. It has eight seats and adds a panoramic roof, 17in alloy wheels, carpeted floor, automatic air conditioning, push-button start and a wireless phone charger.

Design Premium (£53,766) is also an eight-seater with two seats up front and two three-person benches in the rear. This trim level introduces powered sliding side doors with kick-sensor, leather upholstery, heated power adjustable front seats with massage function (with memory setting for the

driver’s seat) and floor mats.

The top-line Excel model would be the ideal choice for executive jobs as it has a seven-seat interior with two rotatable captain’s chairs in the second row and a moveable, lounge-style rear table. The rear privacy glass is deep-tinted “limo-style” and the doors are fitted with courtesy lights. At £55,866 it’s not that much of a premium over Design Premium.

A key advantage of the Design Premium and Excel grades – not available for us to test on the initial launch – is the availability of a longer body. This extends the body beyond the back axle (the wheelbase is the same), giving substantially more luggage room. Space is rather limited at around 220 litres in, the standard-bodied Design version, but the longer body boosts this to 640 litres.

On the road, Proace Verso does well to hide its van origins. It’s not quite up to Mercedes standards, but ride is compliant and handles potholes and speed bumps with a minimum of fuss. Proace Verso is agile around town with fast, accurate steering, and its 1.9m tall body means it can access multi-storey car parks easily.

VERDICT

Electric seven-seaters are in demand, for obvious reasons. Toyota is a welcome entrant to the sector, even if the Proace Verso isn’t really a Toyota!

The Stellantis-built van is well up to Toyota standards in terms of build quality, and includes some neat touches such as a rear-view mirror that uses camera images, allowing a clear view of the road behind.

The Proace Verso is a useful competitor to the likes of Ford Tourneo and VW Multivan, with a comfortable interior and a 200-miles-plus range comparable with these key rivals, if not up to the standard of the latest electric cars. Of course, you can buy a broadly similar van from Vauxhall, Peugeot or Citroen.

We’d recommend you buy the longer-bodied version as luggage space is very limited in the standard body.

running report: BMW i5

FIVE ALIVE FIVE ALIVE

DATA

The electric BMW i7 has been extremely well received by the chauffeur sector, but not everyone is in the market for a top-line limousine.

The market for E-Class-sized cars is bigger, so I was looking forward to seeing if BMW’s new i5 matches its bigger sibling for quality. If it does, it could easily equal the i7’s dominance in its part of the sector too.

My test car was a BMW i5 M60 xDrive saloon in sapphire black with black leather upholstery, which is the perfect colour and interior combo.

Sitting in the car I get straight into chauffeur mode and start looking at the optional extras from both the client’s point of view and that of the driver. After all, this is your office for quite a few hours a day so being comfortable and having some toys to play with while waiting are what you need.

I was keen to see those two very important areas of the rear seat legroom and boot space. Kneeroom and legroom is good and the headroom easily accommodates a 6ft passenger (that’s me). You would be able to fit in four passengers but three in the back would be cosy.

The boot space is 520 litres, which is 90 more than the Mercedes-Benz EQE. It also has an underfloor storage

Price as tested £97,745 OTR

SPECIFICATION

Powertrain Single electric motor

Transmission Single-speed auto, all-wheel drive

Battery 81.2kWh

Charging time 8h 30min AC (11kW 0-100%)

30min DC (205kW 10-80%)

Power 601hp

Torque 795Nm

Top speed 143mph

0-62mph 3.8sec

Range 315 miles (WLTP)

CO2 emissions 0g/km

Length 5,060mm

Width 2,156mm

Height 1,505mm

Wheelbase 2,995mm

Loadspace 490 litres

Warranty 3 years/ unlimited miles)

Insurance Group 49

VED Band A

space where you can put your polishes, cloths and so on without them taking up luggage space.

The M60 version is great fun to drive – on a recent trip to the midlands

to see a QSi Award-winning operator, the drive was smooth and quiet, and I arrived feeling as fresh as when I left.

Much as I enjoyed the kick in the back that the acceleration gives, neither you nor your customers need to get there quite that quickly. So rather than the M60 I would choose the BMW eDrive 40 Sport edition. This has a very healthy list of standard features, though for a perfect experience I would add a few extras.

These would include the Technology pack, Comfort plus pack, the panoramic glass roof, sun protection glass, side window blinds and the very sensible rear seat travel and comfort entertainment addition. No, this is not a TV screen in the headrest, but a combined device holder and charger that slots in to the back of the front seat. The car I specced up came in at just over £80,700 – well below the £97,745 OTR price of the M60 on test.

But range remains a problem for out-of-town chauffeur work. Charge the i5 M60 up using the 80% rule and you will only get 226 miles, so if airports and longer runs are your business, I’d still choose the hybrid 5-series. I’d also look at a Touring estate rather than saloon for the extra flexibility. This which starts at £61,705 as against the cheapest electric i5 Touring, which starts at £69,945.

Paul Webb

Thursday, January 16, 2025

Hilton Metropole Hotel, Brighton

We asked our Professional Driver QSi winners when we should hold our annual awards dinner.

They said the last thing they needed was a trip to the seaside when everyone was working flatout in the run-up to Christmas. Instead, a trip to the seaside in January, when life is less hectic, would be right on the money!

We agree. So we’ve decided to move the QSi Awards to Thursday, January 16, 2025 – same venue as last year, the Hilton Metropole Hotel in Brighton.

This means our winners will

carry their Gold, Silver and Bronze titles throughout the year. And because January is a quieter month in the taxi, private hire and chauffeur world, companies will be able to bring more staff members to celebrate their success.

We’ll also be revealing our Cars of the Year at the event, which is renowned as being the biggest and best in the industry.

So please get your entries in so you can have a chance of adding that prestigious QSi rosette to your brand. Follow the link below to enter.

AWARDS CATEGORIES

Private Hire Group

Private Hire Operator, 1-80 cars

Private Hire Operator, 81+ cars

New-Start Operator Award

Community Award

Marketing Award

Environmental Award

Chauffeur Operator, 1-10 cars

Chauffeur Operator, 10+ cars

Business Diversification Award

Professional Driver of the Year

www.prodrivermags.com/qsi-awards-home/qsi-enter/

the knowledge

Zealotry and practicality rarely share a bed

At of the end of September 2024, there were 1.25 million fully electric cars in the UK. This means that around 3.75% of the 34 million cars on UK roads are fully electric.

With under 4% of the vehicle fleet now all-electric, the problems are legion. The convenience of driving has been adversely impacted even though many of the 1.25m EV owners will be fortunate to have driveway charging.

As an extreme example, the recent evacuation large areas of Florida because of Hurricane Milton flagged the difficulty of electric vehicles needing to be charged en route. And while extremes and one-off events are never a good justification for or against a concept they do provide some lessons. Recent Christmas travel has been disrupted due to the need to queue at charging stations on motorways for hours.

The reality is that, as a country, we are nowhere near ready for such a major change management exercise. I certainly agree that pumping noxious gases into the air willy-nilly cannot be a good thing and we should reduce that activity. But slogans and virtue signalling by politicians together with unbridled zealotry appear to override any level of practicality and that damages this industry.

Dr Michael Galvin

Mobility Services Ltd mobilityserviceslimited.com

should come as no surprise that drivers who were early adopters and first movers in this industry have moved back to petrol and diesel.

Drivers don’t need to find themselves refusing many airport runs and other long journeys because they are not fully charged at the moment a booking comes through. They don’t need to be sitting on a rare, available charging point when they should be earning money.

Neither do they need to spend much time thinking about the business case for paying more for a vehicle, paying the same fuel costs and being less flexible than they were with a petrol or diesel car. This is why drivers in this industry across the country have returned their EVs, and while the majority who wanted to see what the promised land looked like before jumping in are not interested in going electric.

Slogans Don’t Equal Change

Any objections to the speed of transition lead to charges of climate denial. Challenge is no longer an honourable and helpful concept – either you are for ‘us’ or against ‘us’ - whoever ‘us’ are, and no matter what ‘us’ want and no matter what the effect is on me and you!

Drivers are Voting With Their Feet

The growth in rapid and ultra-rapid charging points has been woeful while the rising cost of charging an EV has been spectacular. Advances in range have been pedestrian and therefore it

Any management training course will tell you that shouting at people doesn’t mean that the job will a) get done, b) get done well and c) get done at all. The dream of clean air, clean cities and fewer people dying from health problems caused by vehicle emissions is a virtuous one.

Where I think the desire to do good starts to dissipate is at the practical level. Customers nowadays want everything quicker and cheaper. Fifteen to twenty minutes to deliver a cab in a city was once seen as good service. Three to four minutes is now stretching customer tolerance.

The thought of a customer sitting in the back of a car on the way to an

airport in a charging station for 30-45 minutes is a nightmare. Some don’t even like stopping at red lights and zebra crossings!

If a driver is lucky enough to have charging in their street they are among a fortunate minority (estimates vary between 25-33% of drivers who have off-street parking) and may get through a shift on a single charge. But what of the 67-75% who do not have off street charging? What if you only have 20% charge when you get the job of the week and have to say no?

The Options for Resolution

The options to resolve this situation are of course many and varied. More rapid and ultra rapid chargers are needed, quickly and in huge volumes. In London it was estimated that just to satisfy the private hire fleet there would need to be 8,500 rapid and ultra rapid chargers.

As of September 2024, there were 13,706 rapid or ultra-rapid charging devices, across 5,762 charging locations in the UK. Last month, 262 new rapid or ultra-rapid charging devices were added to the Zapmap database.

Of course, in the long term one would hope that battery capacity would increase, that dynamic charging (road to vehicle) would develop and become a reality and that maybe hydrogen may be revisited and become an alternative.

The cost of charging has been allowed to skyrocket and totally remove the concept of electric cars being more expensive to buy but cheaper to fuel. The outcome has been a more expensive car and expensive fuel and less convenience and thereby a loss of revenue earning opportunity. A depressing mix.

While first movers and early adopters of EVs may have been happy to endure some inconvenience, the majority of buyers are not. The industry, and perhaps car owners in general, is now likely to see vehicles used for longer in areas where licensing is being used to push the EV agenda. There may also be more license shopping. In the meantime, let’s hope realism is introduced into the debate and there is solid action to make rapid and ultra rapid charging ubiquitous.

Raising the chauffeuring standards – pourqoi pas?

The word chauffeur is something we Brits stole from the French. Much like we did with Calais back in the 14th century, perhaps as some kind of payback for 1066.

I igress. To call oneself a chauffeur in France means you've got a career. It requires four to five months of intensive and expensive training in the art of chauffeuring whereas here in the UK we get to pull on a tie, buy/lease/hire a Mercedes-Benz and print up five hundred business cards at Kwiki-Print. Voila! Nous sommes chauffeurs.

The clients will decide

Not that I can complain, for that was exactly my route into the industry. With no qualifications, longterm goals or contacts I pulled away toward my first airport transfer as a ‘chauffeur’.

To be fair, 28 years later I feel confident my longevity in the business qualifies my chauffeur status by default. Primarily, it is the clients who decide our fate, as you can call yourself anything you like but if you are no good at the job, the punters will only ever book once. Then you can call yourself ‘unemployed’. Or even ‘sans emploi’.

TfL (don’t worry, I am not Khan-bashing again) recently ruled that all private hire vehicles are soon to display various warning stickers in the car. Yes! ALL private hire drivers. Once again they are lumping the chauffeurs in with taxis. Peasants. These new vehicle adornments will provide the customer with driver information, how to complain etc.

Kevin Willis

Chirton Grange contact@chirtongrange.co.uk

age for fleets, but if you’re a self-employed chauffeur, your lovely Merc, Audi or Beemer could very soon be plastered up like a public bus. While I fully agree all taxi/private hire vehicles need to be visible to the public it surely cannot be the same for chauffeurs because all bookings are prebooked, via email or chosen booking platform.

Which means chauffeur companies know their clients and vice versa, so all information is available prior to any service taken.

Central licensing needed

Recently I was lucky enough to be invited to sit in on a panel looking at how the chauffeur industry can determine our trade as a stand-alone profession. My initial cynicism over elitism was quickly dispelled as better brains than my own talked through the issues at hand.

At the meeting we (mostly) all agreed that the industry, as a whole, needed a central licensing body. Presently, the system is far too disjointed with authorities such as TfL using government legislation to find ways to charge for services not needed or find ways to add punitive fines when possible.

London’s own infrastructure of the underground and bus network.

Secondly we felt it would make sense to introduce a standard into the trade. An industry ‘bar’ for us to attain before any candidate had the right to carry the title of chauffeur.

Steve Lynch at the Guild of Professional Chauffeurs has been valiantly flogging this horse for years. The GoPC have long tried to establish a code of conduct and minimum driving standard to the industry but all the time government do not attach an actual requirement it is too easy for us, myself included, to not justify the cost and time needed to apply.

Do not panic, we would seek to give ‘grandfather rights’ to those of us old dogs who cannot be taught new tricks, but look to smarten up our act going forward with the new members.

We are not talking about a club, association or union here. There are enough of those. We are talking about making the profession of ‘chauffeur’ something people will aspire to.

A recognised industry standard agreed by government that means when you say you are a chauffeur it is because you have earned the right and proved you are good enough.

What can we do?

Full disclosure, there are a few different groups looking to lobby the new government over these same issues. One comprises a conglomerate of big chauffeur companies. The problem with the big hitters taking charge over our industry is that we are in danger of jumping from the frying pan into the fire.

These are efforts to limit the dam-

It surely makes sense for us all to be singing from the same hymn sheet. The problem TfL have with ‘private hire drivers’ is that we are working in direct competition to Transport for

Most of us work for ourself for a reason: we don’t take orders very well. We need to be careful not to all be working vicariously for the big companies. The biggest issue we face is, as ever, apathy from you guys. Most drivers I have spoken to shrug and mutter ‘what can we do?’

We can do a lot, be vocal, get involved. Vive le chauffeur!

Thursday, January 16, 2025

Hilton Metropole Hotel, Brighton

We asked our Professional Driver QSi winners when we should hold our annual awards dinner.

They said the last thing they needed was a trip to the seaside when everyone was working flatout in the run-up to Christmas. Instead, a trip to the seaside in January, when life is less hectic, would be right on the money!

We agree. So we’ve decided to move the QSi Awards to Thursday, January 16, 2025 – same venue as last year, the Hilton Metropole Hotel in Brighton.

This means our winners will

carry their Gold, Silver and Bronze titles throughout the year. And because January is a quieter month in the taxi, private hire and chauffeur world, companies will be able to bring more staff members to celebrate their success.

We’ll also be revealing our Cars of the Year at the event, which is renowned as being the biggest and best in the industry.

So please get your entries in so you can have a chance of adding that prestigious QSi rosette to your brand. Follow the link below to enter.

AWARDS CATEGORIES

Private Hire Group

Private Hire Operator, 1-80 cars

Private Hire Operator, 81+ cars

New-Start Operator Award

Community Award

Marketing Award

Environmental Award

Chauffeur Operator, 1-10 cars

Chauffeur Operator, 10+ cars

Business Diversification Award

Professional Driver of the Year

www.prodrivermags.com/qsi-awards-home/qsi-enter/